


Stars to Light Your Path

by spirithorse



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Dragons, F/F, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Xenophilia, intersex Sorey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-03-23 21:18:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 124,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13796550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: What Mikleo needed from his marriage was for it to be perfect, for the sake of the people of Ladylake and their future protection against their enemies. He needed it to be quick for his own sanity. And he needed everything to go exactly as planned.What he didn't need was kidnapping and complications.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Pengie was the one who pointed out this Russian movie called He is a Dragon, which Pengie, Nami and I watched and decided to make Sormik AUs out of. Pengie and I decided to make our own versions of this AU. Nami, as always, encouraged us. This is my version of the AU. Title taken from the song _Tranquil Lullaby_ by Jenia Lubich. Updates will come every Sunday unless otherwise noted.

“Oh what to do to die today at a minute or two 'til two   
A thing distinctly hard to say yet harder still to do   
For they'll beat a tattoo at twenty to two   
With a rattatta tattatta too   
And the dragon will come when he hears the drum   
At a minute or two 'til two today   
At a minute or two 'til two.”  
-" _Merrie England_ ", Edward German & Basil Hood

* * *

 

Mikleo wiggled as he settled back into his bed. He pulled the covers up to his chest, leaning back into his pillows. He looked up at his uncle as soon as he was done, staring at Michael. His uncle chuckled and reached up to tuck him in properly.

“I know that look, Mikleo. It’s late.”

He pouted, tugging the covers up to his chin. “But you promised.”

“Mikleo, Muse would-”

“You promised! You said you would two days ago but then you were busy.” Mikleo glared at his uncle before rolling towards the wall. He glared at it before pressing his face against the pillow. “It’s not fair.”

He didn’t think that his uncle would hear him complain, especially with the way that his face was buried into the pillow. Mikleo nuzzled into his pillow, staring at his wall.

His uncle was silent, which wasn’t a good sign. It probably meant that he had missed his chance and there was nothing to do other than to try to go to sleep. Or, pretend to sleep until Michael went downstairs and then grab a book from his shelf. His mother would be busy with her last duties in the shrinechurch for another few hours. She was always home by the time the water bells started ringing the hour. Michael wouldn’t come upstairs until hours later. His uncle tended to work late into the night on his great project.

Mikleo hugged the covers close to him, ready to start his carefully practiced appearance of sleep when he heard his uncle sigh. Mikleo froze, turning his head slightly. He didn’t dare move it too far in the fear that Michael would see through his ploy. Mikleo held himself still until Michael sighed again, his uncle reaching over to pat his side.

“Fine, one story.”

Mikleo flipped onto his other side, smiling up at Michael. His uncle smiled back, Michael moving to settle against the headboard. Mikleo wiggled over to give his uncle room, quickly snuggling up to his side as soon as Michael was settled.

Michael wrapped an arm around Mikleo, looking down at him with a smile. “What story do you want?”

“Something about dragons!”

Michael narrowed his eyes. “You’re frightened of dragons.”

“Am not!”

“You won’t cross in front of the statues in the shrinechurch. You have to hold our hands and close your eyes.”

Mikleo shuddered at the mention of the statues. He was a whole building away but he could still feel their steady gaze. He tried not to pull the covers closer too obviously, because then it would mean an end to his story. Instead, he puffed out his chest, trying to look as brave as he could. “I’m older now. I’m not afraid.”

Michael gave him a considering look. “You won’t have nightmares?”

“Only little kids have nightmares.”

“Alright.” Michael settled back again, his gaze drifting out to the city. Mikleo settled into a comfortable position. He was too used to the pause to get impatient. Michael had promised to tell him a story and he would get it, he just had to wait a little bit.

The start of the story was signaled with a long sigh, Michael looking back at him. “A long, long time ago, seraphim and humans lived together. Together they built a civilization filled with huge buildings, great inventions and many, many books.”

Mikleo wanted to squirm at the mention of books, but held himself still. Michael didn’t like his stories to be interrupted, but it was always hard not to. There were always so many things that he wanted to ask, but they would all have to wait. He could hold onto them until the end, and then Michael would be more than happy to answer them. If he was lucky, he could get Michael to answer his questions until the water bell rung the time for Muse to come home.

He bit his lip, staring up at Michael as his uncle warmed to his story. “The seraphim and the humans lived in harmony for many centuries. The humans would pray to the seraphim and offer them good and delicacies. In return, the seraphim would give their blessing to the land and renew it. Humanity and the seraphim were prosperous, until the civilization collapsed. The earth rolled and the skies turned black. The seraphim scattered to the winds and the humans were left alone.”

Mikleo sucked in a quick breath, watching his uncle with wide eyes. Michael gave him a quick glance before continuing. “Humanity rebuilt, and they prayed to the seraphim hoping that they would come back. Instead, they got dragons.”

Mikleo couldn’t stop himself from letting out a little squeak, but he quickly pressed a hand against his mouth so his uncle wouldn’t hear it.

Michael didn’t seem to notice because he was enraptured with his topic. He nodded to himself, sketching an arc through the air with his free hand. “Every time the people called upon the seraphim they got silence, or worse, a dragon. Soon, humanity was in thrall to the dragons. They would leave out precious objects for the dragons to take so they would stay away from their towns. Sometimes it worked, sometimes the dragons wanted more. Soon, they were sacrificing people to the dragons.”

Mikleo drew the covers up further, watching Michael with wide eyes.

“Even Ladylake wasn’t spared. Where we had once depended on the protection of the Lady of the Lake, there was a dragon who demanded sacrifices. Every few years goods would be gathered onto a boat and set out onto the lake. The people would gather around the edge of Ladylake and watch as the dragon came to take their goods. They would stand on the boundaries of their town and sing for the blessings of the seraphim to protect them. The song was enough to keep the dragon away, but they couldn’t sing forever. So the dragon kept coming back. It was then that Ladylake started offering people to the dragons. The first Diphda king declared it so and worked to keep the dragons away. The sacrifices and songs could only do so much.

“Then, many years later, Edward Diphda declared that three girls be put out on the boats to appease the dragon for a longer amount of time. He gathered the girls by lottery, but his plan didn’t work perfectly.”

“Why?”

It was a sign of how deep into his story he was that Michael didn’t glare at him and tell him to be patient. His uncle just nodded, continuing on like he hadn’t heard Mikleo. “One of the girls had a lover. He tried to persuade the king to change his mind, but King Edward was determined to keep things as fair as he could. He couldn’t take the girl out without holding the lottery again and he was not going to start making exceptions. He decreed that the sacrifice would go forward. So the girls were sent to the shrinechurch to pray and then to the boats to be towed out into the lake. Then the people gathered on the shore and sang for protection as the dragon took the girls away.

“But the man wasn’t happy, so he snuck out to follow the dragon. He walked for miles and for days, trying to find where the dragon had taken his lover. It was weeks until he stumbled to the base of the Aroundight Forest. He was ready to turn around when he saw a shining beacon on the other side of the forest, and he knew that his lover was on the other side. He walked through the forest for three days and three nights until he reached the base of Mount Mabinogio.

“The man didn’t pause for a moment before he ran up the mountain, all the way to the old temple at the top. He charged in, looking for his lover, because he knew that she was the one who had guided him through the forest. But there was nothing but bones.”

Mikleo gasped and pressed himself closer to Michael, staring up at his uncle as he continued. “The man searched through all of the bones until he found the necklace that he had given her on one of the skeletons.”

“The dragon _ate_ her.”

Michael nodded, leaning in close. Mikleo did the same, hiding himself against his uncle’s side. It felt safer there, far away from all the dragons that could be lurking in the night.

Michael’s hand dropped against his side, Mikleo feeling more sheltered and protected. He leaned his head against Michael’s chest, listening to the beat of Michael’s heart as his uncle continued his story.

“The dragon had eaten her and every other person that had been sacrificed to it. The man was enraged, so he called on the seraphim for their help before chasing after the dragon. He found it lurking in the depths of the temple and chopped off the dragon’s head.” Mikleo gasped, Michael squeezing him gently as he continued. “The man gathered the bones of the people and brought them back to Ladylake. The king had seen what he had done and declared a holiday for their freedom. But the man wasn’t content with that. He hadn’t been able to save his lover, but he was determined to help other people. He left Ladylake and began to travel the land, killing dragons wherever he found them to save the people. That man became the first Shepherd, the first man to try and stop the dragons.

“Many others followed after him, all of them fighting to get rid of the dragons until the dragons were gone from Glenwood. Once that was done, the people could breathe freely again, and they forgot their fear. They praised the seraphim and the Shepherds who had kept them safe.”

“And there were no more dragons?”

“No.” Michael shook his head. “There haven’t been dragons in more than two thousand years. So you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

Mikleo giggled as Michael ruffled his hair. He reached up to grab onto his uncle’s wrist, holding it close to him as he settled back into the pillows. He smiled up at his uncle, relaxing as Michael smiled back at him.

When Michael said that there weren’t any dragons, he had to be right. He was a historian, and one trusted by the royal family in Ladylake. They wouldn’t trust him if he didn’t know what he was talking about.

Mikleo settled against Michael, yawning wide. He smiled when he heard the soft chimes of the water bell. It was a familiar sound, soft and clear in the distance. He turned towards the sound, groaning when Michael started to slip away from him. He made an aborted grab for him, Michael moving away.

“No, you got your story and your mother will be coming home. If she comes in, pretend to be asleep.”

Mikleo nodded. He was used to the request because they were always sneaking stories in until the last minute. He sunk down further into his covers, pulling them up onto his shoulder. He heard Michael blow out the candle in his room, Mikleo pulling the covers more tightly against himself.

His uncle might be right about there being no more dragons, but that didn’t ease the shiver of fear that ran down his spine. There were many things they didn’t know about the world outside their little kingdom of Ladylake and Glenwood was vast.

Mikleo glanced at the window, smiling as he saw the stars. They were just as comforting as the sound of water that ran through the canals and out into the lake. Mikleo smiled and reached out to press his fingers against the glass. He kept them there for a moment before letting them drop as he succumbed to sleep.

* * *

Mikleo held still as the two attendants circled around him. He couldn’t feel what they were adjusting between all of his layers, or maybe it was just the shock that the day had come. He swallowed and reached up to touch the collar of his outer coat, jerking his hand away when one of the attendants reached out to start correcting it. He dropped his hand slightly, staring at it.

There was just a bit of black lace peeking out from the blue and gold of his sleeve, and that was just the first undershirt. There was another layer under that. It wasn’t as shiny as the black undershirt, but it was decorated. Not that it mattered, no one would be able to see it. The only person that would see it would be his husband.

From just one look they would be able to pick out the history of his family, the pictures and words mixed in with the blue, black and gold thread that had been worked around the ends of the sleeves, up the front and around the collar. It had his mother’s position in the shrinechurch as part of the priesthood. It had his uncle’s studies in Marlind and his position as historian and his special position with the royal family. It showed his family’s achievements through the generations. His own achievements were in there as well, although Mikleo couldn’t quite remember where they were on his shirt. It had his own studies at the Marlind University before relations between the city-states of Marlind and Ladylake had soured.

Mikleo touched the black lace peeking out from under his sleeve from the shirt decorated with embroidery of water and fish, everything associated with Ladylake. There was even the great seraph that they had revered as the Lady of the Lake embroidered among the fish, a shimmering figure on the black silk. That was for everyone to see, to remind them what they were seeing, the union of two great powers for the peace and prosperity of everyone.

The Fortons were a powerful family from Rolance, and connected through the church. Mikleo would have been surprised if they hadn’t reached out to Ladylake.

Out of all of the city-states in the former kingdom of Hyland, it was the only prosperous one. Mikleo was sure that it was even more powerful than the budding kingdom that was starting to grow out of Rolance. He hadn’t gotten much time to study Rolance before he had gone back to Ladylake, and then he’d been occupied helping where he could.

Prince Constans, Alisha’s grandfather, had declared that he would unite all of Hyland again and had called everyone back that could advise him. Mikleo had spent most of that time running around helping his uncle. Prince Constans had never accomplished it, but his declaration had always sounded like empty words. It wasn’t like that now, not when Ladylake was growing in strength. Mikleo was sure that some of the other city-states took the new ruler as a sign that Ladylake would move forward with what its old prince had declared. In that case it was better that they were allying themselves with the Fortons.

The Fortons could bring all of the resources Rolance had to bear, which would be useful if Marlind or and of the other city-states tried to force their way into Ladylake’s territory. It was a good alliance, one that Alisha would be foolish to ignore.

By all rights, she should be the one standing in front of the mirror, being prepped for a trip out to the lakeshore. The Fortons would have loved to connect themselves to Ladylake after years of trying and failing to attach themselves to Rolance’s royal family. But Mikleo hadn’t been able to ignore the way that Alisha looked at the leader of the merchant group that had brought the ambassador from the Forton family. So he had offered, because his claim was just as good. His mother was next in line to be cardinal for the church, an important connection and step up closer to the royal family. Better yet, his offer would allow Alisha to be free to pursue who she wanted, or what Ladylake needed.

He closed his eyes, intending to take a deep breath when his head was yanked back. Mikleo hissed, reaching back to press a hand against the back of his head. He heard the lady-in-waiting mutter an apology under her breath, but she didn’t let up her braiding. He winced at every tug as the braid was pulled tight. Mikleo knew that it had to be that way to coil behind the headdress properly, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. He was more used to keep it hanging down loose or pulled up absentmindedly. But this was his wedding day, everything had to be perfect. He was the one marrying the Shepherd.

Mikleo took a shaky breath, hoping that he wasn’t shaking too bad. He didn’t want the ladies-in-waiting chattering to him about how excited they were. They had every right to be because it had been a long time since a Shepherd had been in Hyland. They had all but died out after the dragons had all been killed. He just didn’t want to hear about Malfore’s lineage, that’s all everyone had been talking about. That he was a Forton was impressive enough, as was the fact that he was a Shepherd, but it was almost overwhelming to be reminding that Malfore’s ancestor was the first Shepherd. It was a lot of pressure on him to make this work. Mikleo didn’t want to think about what would happen if it didn’t.

He took a deep breath, holding it as the lady-in-waiting started to coil the braid onto his head. He clutched at his sleeves, keeping as still as possible as the coil was completed. The woman began to pin it in place, Mikleo hearing the jingle of the beads and bells on the pins. They scraped across his scalp as they were secured.

He let his breath out as the poking stopped, but it was only a momentary reprieve. Mikleo turned his head as the woman went to get the traditional headdress that was worn for weddings in Ladylake. It was a grand, tiara-like thing, in blue and gold with white beads along the edges and dangling off the sides. Mikleo stared at it, swallowing nervously.

If the headdress went on, it would feel real. All of the layers and negotiation hadn’t made it feel like that, but the headdress was enough to send his heart pounding.

He gathered the fabric of his sleeves in folds, fiddling with it as he tried to hold himself still. Mikleo fixed his gaze in the mirror and watched as the headdress was lifted up and onto his head.

It was settled into place, Mikleo watching the beads knock against the sides of his face, but the actual sensation felt distant. He could only watch as the woman grabbed more pins to secure it to his head. He could feel the little pricks of pressure, but that didn’t make it any more real. He didn’t even recognize himself wrapped up in layers of blue, white and black fabric.

The woman stepped away, Mikleo taking a step towards the mirror. He reached out to touch his reflection, wanting to make it all real because it felt like _he_ was the reflection. He skimmed his fingers across the surface, searching for something other than the cool touch of the metal surface. He frowned at his reflection, tipping his head to the side. The beads clattered against each other, the sound seeming too loud for the room.

He stared at himself for a moment more before looking behind him at where the two ladies were messing with the cloak that would finish off his ensemble. It would be draped over his shoulders just before he walked out into the snow. He stared at the blue and white fabric, some feeling coming back to him. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it was anticipation or horror, and he didn’t want to know.

Mikleo jerked his hand back as the heard the door creak open. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the ladies-in-waiting pulling away from the cloak and bowing. He turned to look at who entered, his eyes widening at the sight of Alisha and his family.

Decorum only lasted until the three of them were safely in the room, then Muse was rushing over to him. He reached out for his mother, holding her close as Muse hugged him. She squeezed him tight for a moment before reaching up to cup his cheeks. “You look stunning.”

“Thanks.”

The word sounded dull in his mouth, but he wasn’t sure that Muse noticed. His mother was already picking at his clothes, carefully straightening them out. Mikleo let her in favor of looking over at his uncle.

He wasn’t sure what he had hoped that Michael would say, but he couldn’t help but be disappointed when Michael just gave him a nod. Michael stepped forward, lightly touching the headdress. “It’s suitable for a royal wedding. I still wish we could have used Muse’s or the old family one.”

Mikleo frowned. Michael had never mentioned another headdress. Michael had never gotten married and Muse kept the few mementos of her marriage carefully packed away. He reached up to touch the headdress. “What happened to the old one?”

“It disappeared with someone who was taken by a dragon.” Mikleo tensed, the old fear rushing back. It didn’t matter that all the dragons were dead, just the mention of them would send the same thrill of terror rushing down his spine. Michael must have seen something because his uncle patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, we won’t let that happen to you.”

Mikleo was sure that Michael meant to be comforting, but it didn’t work. It didn’t matter that all the dragons were all dead and had been for a long time, it was still a terrifying thought. Through his work he had found the lists of goods and people sacrificed to the dragons and the compensation for their losses. The lengths of the list had been shocking and horrifying because Mikleo was sure that every family in Ladylake had some member of their family taken by a dragon.

He reached up to tug at his coat, feeling a shiver run down his spine. He didn’t have long to linger over the cold touch of fear before his mother was coming around to slap at her brother’s shoulder. “Stop it, Michael! Not on his wedding day!”

Michael muttered an apology and retreated. Mikleo turned to watch go, relaxing when Muse touched his cheek. He leaned into his mother’s hand. She was warm, the touch drawing him out from the cold that had settled over him. The problem was that it made him realize just what he was doing.

He was agreeing to marry someone that he had never met. He’d seen a portrait of Malfore, but it had been small and he didn’t trust a commissioned portrait. The artist could have altered something and he would never know until he saw the man face-to-face. It was enough to make him want to strip out of the wedding clothes and run, because this wasn’t the way he wanted the rest of his life to go.

He swallowed as Muse patted his cheek, his eyes widening as she peered at him. He was used to Muse’s searching looks, she had been doing them as long as he could remember. Mikleo was sure that it was a mother thing, just like he was sure that she was reading him perfectly.

Muse patted his cheek before reaching out to untangle some of the strings of beads. “Mikleo, are you sure about this? You know there’s no rush and no reason to do this if you don’t want to.”

Mikleo fell all the breath leave him in a rush. Muse was offering him a way out, and it hurt. He desperately wanted to take it, but he couldn’t. He remembered the way that Alisha had looked at the woman who had brought the offer to them. He remembered the way Uno had looked back at Breunor as he had been walked to the lakeshore to marry the man his family had arranged for him to marry. He had felt guilty both times, and he didn’t want to feel the same way again. He wasn’t attached to anyone, not the way the two of them were. Unless Malfore wanted him to travel with him and his Squires, Mikleo didn’t think that he would be going too far. He would go back to the book collections and manuscripts and everything would be the same. It would be just like Uno’s life now, although he would be luckier, he wouldn’t be rattling around in an empty house.

He swallowed, hesitating a moment more before smiling at Muse. “I’m sure about this.”

His mother narrowed her eyes at him, looking him over. Mikleo was sure that she had seen through him, but she didn’t question him. She just straightened out the fall of his coat, not looking at him. “Your uncle and I just want you to be happy.”

He reached down to grab her hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. It took that pressure to get her to look at him. Mikleo put some effort into his smile, trying desperately to convince his mother. “I really want this, Mom. I’ve never been happier.”

Muse nodded slowly, Mikleo relieved when a smile crossed her face. She leaned forward to press a kiss against his forehead. “May you be blessed with happiness.”

He sighed at the simple blessing, leaning into her before rocking back. Muse lingered in front of him for a moment more before moving away. Mikleo turned to watch her collect his uncle before the two of them walked out of the room. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving him alone in the room with the princess and her two ladies-in-waiting.

Mikleo glanced into the mirror, picking out where Alisha was making her way around the room. She stopped to play with something in one of the offering cups before looking back at him. Mikleo expected her to look happy, but her face was tight.

Alisha stepped towards him, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her coat. She must have just been outside to be wearing the thick coat, because it was pleasantly warm in the room he was in. From the look on her face, Alisha hadn’t even noticed. He turned to face her, stopping at the frown that crossed her face.

“They’re waiting outside.”

“Are they being rude?”

Alisha shook her head. “They’re waiting on the other side of the lake. Malfore isn’t there yet, he’s still getting ready. We had one of the representatives come over to tell us that it will only be a few minutes.”

“So no chance he’s fallen off the pier and into the water?”

Alisha didn’t laugh, Mikleo tipped his head. The beads on his headdress jangled together, the sound loud in the room. Alisha’s gaze jerked up to the beads and stayed there. It was a stillness that he wasn’t used to from him.

Mikleo took another step forward, reaching out to take her hands. “Alisha, what’s wrong? Are they trying to back out of the support they promised or is it another threat from Marlind?”

“Neither.” Alisha sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. “Neither. Everything is quiet. And Marlind shouldn’t bother us anymore, not since the news has gotten out. You don’t have to worry about us becoming another Kylfe.”

Mikleo winced at the reminder. The city-state of Kylfe and had been a tentative ally, until Marlind had marched in and destroyed it. Mikleo remembered watching the smoke rising from the city as it had burned. The strike had been a warning, and it had worked because it had struck fear in everyone in Ladylake. There was now talk about raising the walls higher around the city despite the protection of the lake or burning the wooden bridge. Alisha had stalled them for the moment, and the Fortons’ offer had come at the best possible time.

He took a deep breath, chasing that fear away. He turned completely around to look at her. “Then what is it?”

Alisha shrugged. “I’m just…going to miss having you around. Everyone is twice my age and talks to me like a child, but you don’t. I know weddings are supposed to be a happy time but…”

“It’s not like I’m going anywhere.” Mikleo shrugged. “There’s nothing to call the Shepherd’s attention away and Malfore doesn’t have anything in Rolance to occupy him. And I don’t think that he’d take me along. What can I do against a dragon?”

That got Alisha to relax somewhat, although the tightness didn’t leave her face. “Yes. And that leaves you plenty of time to get to know each other.”

There was nothing to do in the face of her optimism but nod. There was every chance that he would end up as miserable as Uno was in his marriage, but there was an equal chance that he wouldn’t. The distance between Ladylake and Pendrago had made courtship difficult. Mikleo didn’t know Malfore at all, but that wasn’t a death knell to a relationship. They would certainly have plenty of time to spend with each other, although Mikleo wished that he didn’t just feel dread at the idea.

One of the ladies-in-waiting cleared her throat, Alisha turning to look at them. The woman bowed to her. “Princess, it’s almost time.”

“Right.” Alisha turned to look at him, giving him a wide smile. “We’ll be waiting for you outside.”

“I’ll be right out.” Mikleo turned to watch her go, carefully keeping his smile in place until she was gone. He let it falter as soon as the door was shut.

He stared at the door before returning his gaze to the mirror. There was nothing left to delay for time with, he was all dressed. Preparations for the boat and offerings would be done too, they had been going on for days. Mikleo had walked by the boat that he would carry him to his husband on the way back from the palace. He’d watched the intricate carvings be added day by day until the whole boat was covered. He’d stopped once to run his hands over the niches and places that had been made to hold all the offerings that had been sent with him. It had made him stop and shiver, but it had easy to blame it on the snow that had started to fall thick over Ladylake. It was still out there now, the white pushing to the edge of the lake.

He swallowed, rolling his shoulders back. He nodded to himself in the mirror, glad when the ladies-in-waiting took that as a signal that he was ready. One of them stepped forward to do last minute checks on his clothes. She tugged at a few things to get his coat to lie perfectly before reaching up to check the pins in his hair. Mikleo winced as they dug into his scalp, but it was only briefly. Then she was moving away to help the other woman with the strings of beads, glass and gems.

Mikleo lifted his hands at their nudging, holding them out steady as the strings were looped around them. He barely looked at the shining strings, he was too busy staring at his hands. They were steady, which shocked him. With the cold that he felt to his core he didn’t know how he could be so still.

He didn’t have too long to linger of the thought because the women were back, bringing the lit candle in its cup. He held his hands out to take it, cupping it carefully in his hands as the strings were arranged again. The women lingered over it for a moment before they both nodded. One went to open the door while the other collected the two offering bowls that the two of them would bring in the procession. Mikleo tried not to look at either of them as he turned towards the door, focusing on walking carefully and steadily through the hallway.

Mikleo dropped his gaze to the candle in his hands, watching as the flame flickered. It didn’t look like it would go out, which was good. He wouldn’t want to have to stop and pause. Besides, there was no point inviting bad luck on the marriage before it started.

Tradition stated that, as long as the candle stayed lit during the ceremony, the marriage would be a happy one. It was a small consolation in the end, because Mikleo remembered how Uno had stared fixedly at his own candle, like he wanted it to go out. Mikleo stared at his, fighting back the urge to just blow it out. It wouldn’t stop anything, just delay it, and he didn’t want that. A delay would mean more waiting.

He took a deep breath and tipped his chin up. He wouldn’t embarrass himself like that. He wasn’t a child to throw a tantrum about something that he didn’t like. He had chosen this of his own free will, he wouldn’t back out of it.

Mikleo continued through the halls of the palace, carefully not looking from side to side. It was all familiar to him from working in the library, although it was quieter now. Most of the staff and residents would be out in the center of the city or around the edges of the lake and bridge to watch the ceremony.

It was a simple ceremony in the end, one that he wouldn’t be doing much for. Mikleo was grateful for that, because the ceremony would be a combination of traditions. He would make the trip across the lake with the offerings and the smaller wedding presents in the boat with him as per the Ladylake tradition. By that tradition, as soon as he was helped out of the boat and the water of the lake poured over their heads and hands, they would be married. But there were the Pendrago traditions to consider, which meant that he would essentially be married twice over. He had already seen the other party setting up the gates that he would have to pass through on the way back to Ladylake in the Pendrago tradition. Mikleo was just relieved that he was expected to just give answers to questions, he wasn’t quite sure he could manage anything else.

He swallowed, focusing on the doors ahead as he walked. Through some prearranged signal, they opened up, Mikleo blinking in the light of the winter day.

He squinted for a moment, just barely remembering himself in time. This was an important event, something that the people of Ladylake were depending on. The news had spread through the city like wildfire as soon as everything had been agreed and people were eager for it. A wedding meant a celebration, something that could break up the monotony of winter days, and it also meant that they would be safe. Rolance was the closest thing to a kingdom that Glenwood had, and there was something reassuring in that. He was not about to take that away from them by embarrassing himself.

Mikleo stepped out of the palace and into the plaza between it and the shrinechurch. He spared the church a quick glance, but that was all he was allowed to do. He was the head of the procession and, if he slowed, he would back up the whole line of people that would be following behind him. Mikleo swallowed and turned slightly, heading through the streets down to where the piers were.

Behind him he could hear the sounds of people shuffling into place, Mikleo not having to look behind him to know what was happening. He had watched plenty of weddings in his lifetime.

Everyone in Ladylake, rich and poor, were married by sending a boat across the lake. Everyone gathered on those days, singing songs at the top of their lungs for the protection of the seraphim and then cheering as the water was poured over the heads of the couple.

They all started the same way, with a procession down to where the boat was waiting in one of the canals. Family and friends would follow them down with offerings, gifts and candles to be loaded into the boat with them before it was towed down the canal and set adrift in the lake. Then, the family on the other shore would start hauling the boat over to them, dragging it away from Ladylake. It was a simple procedure, one that Mikleo had seen many times over. Although, he supposed that his own should have felt special.

He could hear the shuffle of people behind him, Mikleo knowing that Muse and Michael were at his back, followed by their colleagues and friends, and behind them was Alisha and the palace staff. It was a grand showing for any wedding, and people had already lined the streets to see it. Mikleo could see the lines stretching the length of the walk to the boat, and he was sure that the canal was just as crowded. It was good luck to touch the wedding boat as it was towed by and most people would try. Then, they would run to the lakeshore to be there when it slipped out into the open water, to sing songs for the protection of the people and the married couple.

But mostly it was to keep the dragons away.

Mikleo swallowed at the thought before pushing it away. He was too old to be frightened by stories of long dead dragons. That was a childish thing that he could put behind him. The Shepherds had long since wiped all of the dragons out. The ones that were still around today merely found the bones of those their predecessors had killed. They were there out of tradition and reverence instead of any real use.

He gave his head a tiny shake, pushing the thought away. He was only thinking of dragons because his uncle had mentioned it. The old wedding ceremony might have started from the tradition of sacrificing humans to the dragons, but it wasn’t about that anymore. Gifts and offerings were from one family to another instead of a ferocious beast, the songs were in thanks instead of fear. Everything was as it should be.

That didn’t stop him from feeling a shiver of fear down his spine when he saw the boat, and it wasn’t because of dragons.

He had thought that the walk would be much further and take much longer. Mikleo pressed his lips together, tempted to slow down and draw it out, but he couldn’t. There were too many people behind him, too many people watching. Too many people counting on him.

Mikleo looked up at the sky, watching the clouds gather. They were puffy snow clouds, hanging low and heavy. They weren’t a threat just yet, but it made him want to be heading back into the city before it started to snow. He wanted to be tucked up in a warm hall and eating by then.

He turned his attention away from the clouds to the canal, making his way down the side to the pier. The boards creaked under his boots as he walked across it, Mikleo glancing at the candles set on the posts that guttered in the wind. He counted his way down them, stopping at the second to last ones.

The procession shuffled to a halt behind him, Mikleo closing his eyes as he waited for the next step. It gave him time to prepare himself, to at least look like all of what he was feeling were nerves.

He opened his eyes as he heard the boards creak, turning to his mother with a smile. She smiled back, reaching out to place her hands over his cupped ones. She gave him a serious nod before taking the candle away and turning to the boat. Mikleo watched as Muse settled it in place, moving his hands so the strings of beads didn’t slide off of them. That was another thing for his husband to do, pull them away strand by strand to free him from the bonds of his old life and weave the strands into the new one. That was, if Malfore had been told to do that. Mikleo wasn’t sure how much had been passed along and remembered. He was sure that Malfore was feeling just as strange as he was.

The sound of fabric pulled his attention back to the people behind him. Mikleo tipped his head slightly, watching out of the corner of his eye as the cloak was unfolded. His gaze lingered on the rippling blue fabric with its black patterns before it was brought forward and wrapped around his shoulders. Mikleo reached up to help settle it into place, his fingers curling into the fur around the collar. He kept them there even as Muse turned around to look at him.

She gave him a tearful smile before stepping forward. Muse reached up to pull his hand away, lingering long enough to place a kiss on both of his cheeks. “You look so handsome.”

It took him a while to get his voice to work, Mikleo feeling like he was speaking from somewhere far away from himself. “Thank you.”

Muse nodded, stepping around him so she could rest her hand on his waist. It was the signal that it was all going to start and Mikleo shivered at it. Thankfully, there were enough layers to hide it so Muse didn’t even notice. She just walked forward with him until they were at the end of the dock; her hand a welcome, steady weight as his waist.

Mikleo stared down into the boat, looking over the blankets that had been tucked into place and the small pillow for his head at the stern. If he’d had any talent in that area, he would have made some of the linens himself, but they had all been gifted just like everything else. The royal family had embraced their surrogate candidate with open arms. He had a few personal things that he would be taking with him, but those would be taken to his new home by cart. The wedding was for showing off the best.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the boat, standing still as it rocked. It was a sturdy boat made by the best shipwrights of Ladylake. It would take the worst kind of weather for it to roll and cast him out of it. Even still he moved cautiously into place, lying down in the boat with his head resting on the pillow. At a loss of what to do, he settled his hands on his stomach, waiting patiently as Muse and Michael loaded the offerings and candles that had processed down with him. Every once and a while he could feel his mother and uncle’s attention moving to him, but he couldn’t look over at them. He had to get himself settled into the right mindset. Instead he fixed his gaze on the clouds and watched them.

It felt like an eternity until the last candle was moved into place. He only noticed it because Muse leaned in to squeeze his hand. Mikleo tore his gaze away from the clouds at that, giving his mother a quick look. He carefully constructed expression must have cracked a fraction, because Muse leaned out towards him with a worried look on her face. But it was too late, the boat was moving.

Mikleo turned his head to look back at his mother and uncle, watching as they clung to each other even as everyone broken their solemn silence to rush to the edge of the canal. Mikleo swallowed and righted himself, fixing his gaze on the sky to try and wrangle himself back under control.

The clouds were grey and heavy above him, and the boat rocked a bit with each tug of the ropes at the front. His view of the clouds was constantly interrupted by people leaning close to touch the sides of the boat, Mikleo catching glimpses of their faces. They all looked hopeful and excited. It was probably the first time they had felt secure in a long time. With this, Marlind would be trapped between an ally with contacts in every city-state in Rolance and them. It had to feel like victory.

He desperately wanted to close his eyes, but they needed to see him. They needed to see the whole thing and the celebration afterward. So he kept his eyes open and a carefully neutral expression on his face. Everything else from the way he kept glancing at the end of the canal to the twitching of his fingers could be counted as nerves, and they would welcome them. As long as they never found out the truth they would believe themselves safe.

Mikleo took a deep breath, feeling it catch in his throat as the boat drifted to a stop. He looked up, watching as the two men who had been hauling the boat removed their ropes. One leaned back in and attached the rope that ran towards the shore, Mikleo leaning out slightly to following to the bright cluster of tents on the far shore. He could make out the people there, but not their faces. Still, it was easy to pick out Malfore. He stood out in yellow and deep red at the end of the pier. Behind him were two lines of people in white and black, the Squires that escorted him.

He swallowed and laid back down in the boat, his gaze jumping to one of the men as they waved a bright red scrap of fabric. It must have been the signal because the boat suddenly jerked forward.

Mikleo curled his fingers into his clothes, lying through a couple more harsh jerks before the motion of the boat settled into something steadier. Malfore must have gotten into the rhythm of pulling. He barely had time to consider that thought before the cheers started up from both sides of the canal.

He had entered the lake.

Mikleo twined the strings of beads and glass between his fingers, taking quick breaths now that no one was close enough to see him. He didn’t feel cold anymore, nor detached, everything was a muddied swirl of emotion that left him shaking. Mikleo swallowed and closed his eyes, trying to steady himself. The trip across the lake wouldn’t be long and he couldn’t show up at the pier on the other side terrified.

He squeezed tighter at the strings of beads, muttering a prayer to the seraphim for himself, although he wasn’t sure what he was asking for. It certainly wasn’t for the usual things that a person making their way across the lake would ask for.

Mikleo swallowed and tried to distract himself from that. It wasn’t hard, because the people on the shore had started singing. Mikleo took a deep breath, listening to the song as he was towed across the water.

Biscebqbukk ralu uhiwu ok, si biscebqbukk nu wusowb  
Uduwyscebq nemm u hiwqissub  
Obswosck urilu swosck, hminebq eb scu rimj nasuwk  
Hwuuxebq eb scu ery weduw.

Miks si scu wafejk ih selu'k weduw,  
Bibijy nemm lekk cuw.  
Anaesebq scu weju-qwiil,  
Kcu naesk ciowk si a maks,  
Jwukkuj amm eb ncesu,  
Objuw scu kcwioj, anaesebq cuw ubj.  
Scu nujjebq umm kiobjk.  
Rilu Messmu Meqcsbebq. Rilu Dweqcs Scobjuw.  
Qwa cuw! Kuexu cuw!  
Rilu ib! Hmy!  
Hiwuduw, a yiobq dewqeb.

He tipped his head to the side, taken aback by the song. He automatically translated it as it was sung, Mikleo filling in the awkward stumbling himself. No one used the ancient tongue anymore, aside from the church and people like him and Michael. Everyone else just muddled along as best as they could.

Mikleo licked his lips, his eyes widening as he took in the meaning of the song.

Nothingness came before us, to nothingness we return  
Everything will be forgotten  
Untruths become truths, flowing in the cold waters  
Freezing in the icy river

Lost to the rapids of time's river,  
Nobody will miss her.  
Awaiting the bride-groom,  
She waits hours to a last,  
Dressed all in white,  
Under the shroud, awaiting her end.  
The wedding bell sounds.  
Come little lightning. Come bright thunder.  
Grab her! Seize her!  
Come on! Fly!  
Forever, a young virgin.

Some part of him bristled at being called a young woman, but he could push that away. The ancient tongue had always been unspecific when dealing with gender. And this song was older, the more ancient version than the one used in other weddings. It was in honor of Malfore’s distant relative, the first Shepherd who had freed Ladylake from the dragon that had tormented it.

Michael and the others had been looking for something special for the occasion, because it was a grand occasion. Mikleo hadn’t helped, but that had been his own fault. He hadn’t wanted to think about the wedding until he’d had to. Now that he heard it, he almost wished that he had piped up. Then again, very few people understood the ancient tongue. Malfore apparently couldn’t, or he didn’t care because his pace of pulling didn’t stop through the song, not even when it came to a close.

Mikleo sighed, silence falling over the lake. He lifted his head slightly, his heart pounding when he realized that he was over halfway across. He dropped his head back to the pillow, curling his fingers more tightly into his clothes. The silence was almost too much, enough that he wanted the people to start singing again. That song was not the first that would be sung, the regular ones would follow, but not soon enough. Mikleo didn’t want to sit in silence for too long, because the nerves would come back. He already felt like he was going to jump out of the boat, if only to relieve some of the pressure that was building up inside him.

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He tried to keep it steady as he exhaled, but it shook despite his best efforts. He carefully uncurled his fingers from his clothes. He shifted them, listening to the rattle of the beads against each other. Mikleo smoothed his fingers over a few in the strand, repeating the motion until the shakiness that he felt was done. He lifted his gaze to the sky, closing his eyes. The singing was due to start up at any time and that would calm him again. It was all a matter of him getting over the nerves. It wasn’t like he was going to his death.

Mikleo relaxed his hold on the beads, taking another deep breath. This time it didn’t shake as he exhaled. Mikleo smiled to himself, practically hearing the inhale as the next song was about to start.

The wind picked up, Mikleo turning his head to protect his eyes from the spray from the lake. The beads tapped against his cheek, Mikleo reaching up to move them away from his eye. He blinked to clear a bright spot from his vision, thinking that it was one of the beads, but it remained there fixed in the sky.

Mikleo frowned, his gaze flickering to one of the candles by his head. His eyes widened as the candle was blown out by a rush of air. He reached out towards it, stopping when he heard a scream from the shore.

He planted his hand in the linens, sitting up slightly to look back at the shore. The people were starting to rush back from the shore, a few of them pointing at the sky. Mikleo twisted to stare up at the sky, his heart beating faster when he saw the spot in the sky growing larger.

Mikleo pushed himself further up, reaching back for a pin that was keeping his hair and headdress in place. His fingers slid over the beads and small bells until he reached the metal base of the pin. He got a good hold on it, staring at the shape as it started to swoop down.

Malfore’s group had turned to look at it, Mikleo watching as they pulled out their swords. A few of them started stringing their bows, the archers falling into the front line with their bows raised. Mikleo raised his gaze back to the sky, going still as he recognized the shape.

Ladylake was filled with statues of them and carvings. He had run across them in old manuscripts. But they were dead. They were all dead and a part of the myths. But one was stooping down out of the sky and suddenly he was three years old again and terrified.

The dragon came in low, the dim sunlight shining off its bright feathers. There were patches that didn’t shine like the rest, a jagged and curling pattern of darker feathers on the silver and a distant, faint gleam of gold. Its wings scooped through the air effortlessly, carrying it closer. Mikleo couldn’t look away from it, not the feathers or the two, swept back horns. Nor could he look away from the sharp claws or the dragon’s teeth as it opened its mouth.

The dragon’s roar finally startled him into action. Mikleo gasped, not realizing that he hadn’t breathed for a while. He coughed, leaning forward as he tried to suck in air. Even as he struggled, he got a good hold on the pin.

He yanked it out, holding it out in front of him. Compared to everything else, it was laughably small, but Mikleo was not about to just sit in the boat and let the dragon get close. It didn’t matter that his hands were shaking and that his breath were coming in pants, he wasn’t going to bow in front of this. He wasn’t a frightened child to hide under his covers or run for his mother, there was no way to do any of that.

Mikleo shifted his weight, distributing it carefully so the boat wouldn’t immediately be overturned when he moved. With all the layers he was wearing, he was bound to be pulled underwater if he fell in. If he didn’t drown from that then the cold water would be sure to get him.

He nervously shifted his grip on the pin, not daring to take his attention away from the dragon.

It slowed slightly, swinging its head back and forth as it hit the edges of Malfore’s camp. It didn’t hesitate though, the dragon plowing forward with a roar.

The sound was enough to make the Squires scatter, most of them dropping to the ground with screams of terror. Malfore dropped with them, Mikleo seeing the man quickly cover his head.

Mikleo muttered a curse under his breath, but he couldn’t blame him. The dragon was coming in low over the lake now, the water spreading out in wild ripples and the beat of its wings making white foam rise on the lake. And all the while its gaze never left him.

Mikleo’s fingers loosened on the pin, his breath coming in short pants as the dragon arrowed towards him. Its mouth fell open slightly, Mikleo staring at the dragon’s teeth. He shook at the sight, but he didn’t dare let go of the pin. All he would have to do is move and stab for something soft, because he didn’t think that his small pin would push through the silver and dark blue feathers on the dragon. He was going to try, because he wasn’t going down without putting up a fight.

The dragon dropped lower, its forelegs reaching out with claws curling. Mikleo turned his head to look at the sweep of one hand. He leaned to the side, swaying when the boat started to list. Mikleo yelped and jerked his weight to one side, trying to rock the boat back into a better position.

The motion made him take his gaze from the dragon, which was catastrophic.

He tensed when the dragon’s claws dropped, the boat shuddering as they scraped against it. Mikleo rocked forward, trying to brace himself on the boat. He just got the time to touch the base of the boat before it was pushed into the lake by the dragon’s momentum.

Mikleo gasped as he was immersed in freezing water. It rushed into his mouth, Mikleo choking on it as his heavy clothes started to drag him down. His fingers went loose around the pin, Mikleo feeling it slip away from him. He started to drift backwards, Mikleo staring up at the surface. It wavered above him, the sun not strong enough to shine through it. It felt like he was sinking into blackness and he couldn’t claw his way up, not with all of his layers, and he couldn’t move to strip them off. The water was too cold, it was freezing him in place.

A darker shape obscured the surface, Mikleo screaming when a horned head dipped down into the water. The dragon peered at him before the head disappeared. He didn’t get a chance to relax because he felt something knock against his back before the dragon’s claws closed around him.

He was yanked upward, Mikleo gasping for breath as soon as he was pulled up from the water. He coughed, feeling the water in his throat. Mikleo twisted to try and bend over so he could get it out. He braced himself and pitched himself forward, throwing up the water in his throat and stomach. He was helped when the dragon turned, Mikleo suddenly pressed against the other side of the dragon’s hand. He choked and vomited up more water. He groaned, his fingers sliding across scales.

Mikleo stared down at the silver and dark blue scales, tracing the line of them until they disappeared into feathers. He weakly pushed himself up, just enough to reach back for another pin. He fumbled at his hair, looking around blearily. He was nowhere near something soft, but maybe he could jam the pin up close to where the claw met scales.

His fingers closed around another pin, Mikleo pulling it out only to lose his grip. He gritted his teeth and reached for another one, losing his hold as the dragon turned again.

He found himself looking down on Ladylake and the shore. People were still scattering away, the soldiers standing guard. Mikleo saw a flash of gold that marked where Alisha was, and he could just hear her voice over the roar of the wind.

Mikleo braced himself against the dragon’s hand, trying to wiggle free. He grunted as he pulled his body partially out, stopping when the dragon closed its hand more securely around him. Mikleo gasped, arching from the pain of being held too tightly. It made it hard to breathe, Mikleo gasping as black spots started to form in his vision.

He slumped over the dragon’s hand, staring blankly at the shore as the dragon coasted past. Mikleo perked up when he saw two familiar figures in the lake, watching as one reached up for him. He couldn’t hear her shouting over the beat of the dragon’s wings, but it was clear that she was calling for him.

Mikleo winced and shifted, reaching out desperately for his mother and uncle as he was borne away.

* * *

Mikleo shivered in the whipping wind, too exhausted to do more than that. He stared dully at the clouds that were moving underneath him, the speed making him woozy, but there was nothing else for him to throw up. He had thrown up all the water that had been in his stomach, but he could still feel it rasping in his lungs with every breath. He coughed weakly, leaning against the dragon’s hand. The only good thing about the dragon was that it was warm. It was probably the only thing keeping him from freezing. He could already feel his clothes getting heavier with every moment in the air.

He dropped his gaze to his hand, moving it weakly. He needed to keep circulation in it, or else he risked getting frostbite. Mikleo couldn’t quite remember how that happened because his brain was feeling sluggish. He just knew that he couldn’t let that happen, because then he would be hobbled.

Mikleo took a deep breath, ignoring the burn that it caused in the back of his throat. He had no intention in being added to the pile of bones that the dragon had in its lair. He wasn’t about to fight himself free in midair either. He would wait until he had a better chance of survival. He was already annoyed at himself for not fighting harder while he was over the lake. That would have been better than being dragged away, but he would have to make do with what he had.

The best plan he had was to run as soon as the dragon dropped him, and to stay under cover as long as possible. The dragon was larger than him, and could easily just snatch him up again. The next time it might not be so gentle. Mikleo shivered at the thought, trying to ignore the way that he continued to shudder. He would have to take care of that as soon as he was a good distance away from the dragon, but that would come later. He was at a disadvantage because he wouldn’t know the area and because he wasn’t prepared for travel. His wedding clothes were pretty, but they weren’t made for anything more than decoration. Worse still, he wouldn’t be able to make a fire in case the dragon noticed it and came after him or change out of his soaking clothes, because he didn’t have anything else.

If he survived the dragon’s searches for him, he would have to find his way back to Ladylake. It would be a long trek, but he was sure that there would be search party that could meet him halfway. Mikleo couldn’t imagine his family or Alisha not trying to find or save him. He was sure that he could manage to save himself, it was everything afterward that he would need help with.

Mikleo allowed himself to list in the dragon’s hand, looking up at the dragon as it flew. It had been keeping up a steady place and always heading in the same direction. They were in the clouds, which made it hard to tell which way they were going, but it was obvious that the dragon was heading home. Mikleo licked his lips, wracking his brain for anything useful, but nothing came up. He couldn’t think beyond how cold he was and how tired it was making him.

He shook his head, trying to keep him awake. He didn’t want to fall asleep, he knew that much. Falling asleep while he was like this would be too dangerous. On the other hand, it would meant that he wouldn’t feel it when the dragon ate him.

He twisted to look at the dragon, watching as the creature’s head bobbed slightly as it flew. That was another question that needed to be answer. The dragon had plenty of time to eat him, and Mikleo was sure that the dragon was capable of reaching him where he was. The question was why it hadn’t done it already, unless he was the stockpile. He didn’t know if dragons avoided going out in the colder weather, this one seemed warm enough to be comfortable in the winter. Then again, just because it could didn’t mean that it would want to. Still, all the effort seemed worthless because he was nothing more than a mouthful.

Mikleo frowned up at the dragon, surprised that it didn’t look down at him. It hadn’t paid attention to him since it had snatched him up. Mikleo was sure that the dragon had felt him squirming around, and it was probably enough to be worth the check, but the dragon was still flying straight on.

Mikleo groaned and tried to curl into himself. He shivered miserably, his eyes starting to fall closed. It felt like they had been flying forever. For all he knew, they were in Rolance, or flying across the sea to some of the forbidden and forgotten islands.

Michael had told him about them when he was a child; islands that were wreathed in mist that were difficult to find and impossible to leave. It made sense that a dragon would live there, especially since there weren’t any more on Glenwood. He didn’t know what he would do if that was the case. He would just have to adjust on the fly, although Mikleo wasn’t sure how he would be able to get off the island. It was enough to make him wish he had watched the shipwrights in Ladylake more often.

The dragon dipped slightly, its wing beats slowing down. The dragon glided for a moment, Mikleo watching its head move back and forth before it dropped further.

He braced himself against the dragon’s hand, staring at the clouds as they dropped through them. They obscured his vision for a moment more before the dragon slipped below them.

Mikleo craned his neck back to look at the clouds before dropping his gaze down. His stomach twisted and flipped when he saw the distance from the ground. Mikleo curled his fingers more tightly on the silver and blue scales, trying to find a hold in case the dragon let go.

He stared down at the trees rushing past underneath, eventually dragging his gaze to what they were heading towards. His eyes widened as he saw the mountain in front of him. It looked impossibly huge, its slopes covered with a light dusting of snow. A ruin was perched on the side, Mikleo staring at the sprawling complex on the side of the mountain. He leaned forward to stare down at the ground, catching side of a sharp peak of another building and the scattered ruins of a village.

His attention was taken away as the dragon beat up, the creature’s position changing. The dragon rocked back, its wings flapping strongly as it came level with the front of the ruin.

Mikleo curled into himself, staring at the ruin as they came in towards the front of it. He could see places where the walkways had given away or sections that had crumbled off the side of the mountain. The dragon didn’t seem to be heading for any of those spots, but to the side of a large mural where a gaping hole led into the ruin itself.

They whipped by the mural, Mikleo getting a glimpse of a human raising a sword above his head before he was plunged into the semi-darkness of the ruin. Mikleo blinked rapidly, only getting glimpses of structures and doorways. He twisted to look back at the ragged section of grey light, Mikleo trying to beat back the rush of terror. He swallowed, struggling against it as he looked around.

The ruin was a vast, multi-storied structure with plenty of places where he could tuck himself away and the dragon couldn’t reach. He couldn’t see them clearly, but that was better than nothing. It was better than being eaten.

Mikleo fixed his gaze on a partially fallen balcony. It was supported on one side by a row of columns, and the fall created a narrow space where he could hide himself. From there he could make his way across the ruin, either to the front or deeper in until he found a way out. Mikleo was sure that the front of the ruin wouldn’t be the only way in, there had to be another way, the one that the people who had built this ruin had intended to enter and exit from.

The dragon shifted again, going nearly vertical as it rocked back to touch down on its hind legs. Mikleo yelped as its other hand reached to help hold him, Mikleo flinching away from its claws. The dragon didn’t seem to notice, its attention on settling down onto its hind legs.

It didn’t stay there for long, the dragon rocking forward as soon as it touched down. Mikleo pushed himself back as the ground came rushing towards him, his heart pounding. Then the dragon let go with one hand, catching itself before it fell forward. The dragon grunted as it took its weight onto three legs, the creature shifting awkwardly as it folded its wings.

Mikleo took short breaths as the dragon resettled itself, watching the creature out of the corner of his eye. It didn’t seem to be paying any attention to him, the dragon looking around the ruin. Something must have caught its attention because it tensed, the hand it had curled around Mikleo squeezing. Mikleo yelped at the pressure, clawing at the scales in an attempt to stop it from crushing him.

He wasn’t sure if the sound or the sensation of him scrambling at its scales that got the dragon’s attention. The dragon turned to look at him, Mikleo freezing under the stare. The dragon’s green eyes flicked from side to side as it looked him over, then it recoiled with a hiss. Its claws loosened around him, Mikleo kicking away from it.

The fall to the floor wasn’t too far, Mikleo curling into a ball as he hit the floor and rolled. He reached out to stop himself from going too far, Mikleo pushing himself up onto his feet as soon as he could. He broke into a run, risking a glance over his shoulder at where the dragon was standing. It still had one hand raised like it was still holding him but its head was turned towards him. Mikleo didn’t bother to look for much longer, sprinting for the fallen balcony. He wanted to get to safety while the dragon was shocked, and then he could plan his next move.

Mikleo panted for breath, ignoring the way that each breath burned in his throat. His soaked and frozen clothes slowed him down, but he wasn’t about to stop, not when he could clearly remember the way the dragon’s open mouth had looked like or the way that the dragon had focused on him. He had let fear paralyze him once, he wasn’t about to let it happen again.

The dragon roared behind him, Mikleo coughing on his next breath. He heard the snap of wings opening, Mikleo glancing back over his shoulder. The dragon had rocked back onto its haunches, and it pounced as Mikleo watched. He skittered to the side, stumbling over an uneven bit of the floor. He caught himself just before he fell, Mikleo shoving himself away from the floor. He barely got two steps away before the dragon came crashing down on his right. The sound and flash of silver was enough to catch his attention.

The dragon reached out for him with one hand, Mikleo jerking away. It recoiled a bit, Mikleo taking advantage of that to keep running. His path to the fallen balcony may have been blocked, but there were plenty of other places that he could hide in. There were a couple around the edges of the room that were momentarily too far away. The next closest place was a tumble of fallen statues and columns. He would have to scramble through the tangle, but he was sure that the dragon wouldn’t be able to get him, not without lifting things away. By the time that happened, he would be on his way to the next hiding spot around the edges of the room. From there he would be able to make his way into the smaller hallways.

He heard the dragon roar, the sound slightly choked and strange, but he didn’t dare look behind him. The dragon might lose its patience and decide to snap him up, and he was still well within reach.

He pushed himself faster, drawing in desperate lungfuls of air as he tried to race ahead of the dragon. His head was filled with the sound of his pounding heart, the sound almost drowning out everything else. He was almost to safety, almost to a place where he could take a short break before taking off running again. The dragon wouldn’t catch him and eat him, he would make sure of that.

His next step made the floor crack alarmingly, Mikleo tearing his gaze away from the rubble he was aiming for to the floor beneath his feet. Cracks were radiating out, stones giving out further out. The low rumble continued, Mikleo glancing around desperately for somewhere safe to step, but he ran out of time.

The floor collapsed beneath him, Mikleo reaching out to grab at the stones around him. He tried to save himself, but everything was falling down around him. He glanced down, gasping when he saw the darkness below him.

Mikleo yelped as he was yanked to a stop. He only got a moment of relief until he realized what had to have happened; the dragon had him.

He gritted his teeth, reaching up to tug at the ties of the cloak. He fumbled with the stiff and frozen tie, laughing when it started to give. If he had his choice between falling and being eaten, he would allow himself to fall.

The dragon gave his cloak a jerk, Mikleo hissing. He tore at the ties, taking deep breaths as he finally got them to slide loose, He rolled his shoulders, freeing himself from the weight of the cloak and falling down.

“NO!”

He jerked at the sound of a very human voice calling out of him. He twisted around, only seeing the vague outline of a human reaching in after him. Mikleo’s eyes widened his mouth opening in surprise. He had never expected to see another human in the ruin, but it meant that they were in danger. Mikleo reached up to them, about to shout out a warning about the dragon, but then the shape was gone.

Mikleo looked down, searching underneath him for something. The hole was dim and seemed to go on forever. For all he knew, the only thing waiting for him was a hard ground. If that was the case, he could only hope that he snapped his neck on impact, because he certainly didn’t want to be dying in agony. He’d almost rather prefer the dragon eating him at that point.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and muttering a prayer to the Great Lords. He fumbled over the words, Mikleo wincing at that. He wasn’t sure what they could do for him, or if they would even listen with the mess he was making of calling on their favor. He could only hope that one of them was watching.

Mikleo curled his fingers into a few of the beads that were still strung around his hands, holding onto them as he fell. He took a few deep breaths before looking down again. He saw a faint gleam below him, Mikleo tipping his head.

He only had a moment to realize that he was falling towards water before he splashed down into it. Mikleo let go of the beads, feeling them drift away from his arms as he twisted. He flailed around in the water before going still. He was more likely to drown himself if he just swam blindly.

Mikleo let himself go limp and float, feeling himself rising up towards the surface. He twisted around to swim up towards the surface, feeling his lungs burn. He hadn’t gotten the chance to take a deep breath before he had hit the water and he could feel it. It burned all the way down his throat and into his lungs. The urge to just take a short breath was growing, Mikleo fighting against the drag of his clothes. He reached down to pluck at his outer coat just as one hand breached the surface of the water.

He kicked harder, gasping for air as soon as he was above the water. Mikleo flailed a bit, catching himself before he started swimming towards the center of the room. There was just enough light to see that there was a platform in the center, and Mikleo was eager to get out of the water. Two dunkings was too much for him.

His hands slapped against the stone, Mikleo hauling himself up onto the platform. He crawled on his hands and knees, dragging himself away from the water.

Mikleo stumbled over the second tier of the platform, not bothering to pick himself up. He allowed himself to roll onto his side, coughing weakly. He was slightly relieved that no more water came up, because his throat burned enough. Mikleo groaned and rolled his head to the side, staring up at the hole that he had fallen through. Light came down through it, but there was a light source somewhere else in the room because he could see details on the walls.

He looked over the carvings, barely paying attention to them. He felt a spark of interest, but it was mostly subdued by his exhaustion. Mikleo glanced back up at the hole, looking for the person who had shouted for him, but there was no one there.

Mikleo sighed and let himself relax on the stone. He hoped that whoever had been up there had gotten away, because there was nothing else that he could do for them. There wasn’t anything that he could do for himself but hope that the dragon wouldn’t follow him down because he was in no shape to be running. All he wanted to do was sleep.

He took a few deep, ragged breaths, trying to get himself to move. He planted one hand against the ground before it slid away, Mikleo giving up after that. He couldn’t keep going without a rest, so he would have to deal with the consequences of whatever came down after him. It wasn’t the smartest idea to remain out in the open, but at least the ruin was warm so deep inside, so there was no need to worry about freezing.

Mikleo sighed and pillowed his head on his arm. He finally let himself relax and drift away into an exhausted sleep.  

* * *

Mikleo wasn’t sure how long he slept, nor was he sure what woke him up. He came back to himself in stages, Mikleo blinking slowly as he listened for the normal sounds of his home. Michael should have been rattling around the house and the kitchen, trying to get things prepared for the day. His mother would be singing to herself as she got ready to leave. But there was none of that, the only familiar sound was the lapping of water.

He frowned and pushed himself up, staring down at his coat and the stone underneath him. Mikleo stared at his splayed hands, all of it rushing back to him. The wedding, the dragon, his escape.

Mikleo shivered, reaching up to rub at his arms. He wasn’t sure if what he was feeling was cold or just the shock of what had happened. He swallowed and looked and lifted his hand, watching as it shook. Mikleo swallowed and tucked his hands under his arms, looking around the room.

The dragon had left him alone, which was a blessing. Now he had to find a way out. Mikleo licked his lips, staring at all of the carvings. He distantly remembered being interested in them before, but he couldn’t remember doing anything more than looking. Mikleo shook his head, looking around the ruin.

He was in a circular room, the carving going up in concentric circles until it reached the ceiling. Whatever decoration had been there was long gone because the roof of the room had collapsed. He glanced around at the water, picking out pieces of stone that were sticking out of the water. He didn’t know how much of it was from the original collapse and what was from when he had fallen in the floors above. He was just lucky that he hadn’t slammed into it on his way down.

Mikleo shivered, looking away from the rocks to the other side of the room. The platform came around in practically a full circle until it reached the walkway that crossed the water. The walkway led away to what had once been a doorway, but that had collapsed in as well. Mikleo winced at the sight of it. There was no way out that way, and the only other obvious way to climb up to where he had fallen in. Mikleo felt his whole body ache at the thought.

He groaned and staggered to his feet. Mikleo gave the hole in the roof one last look before walking down the pathway. He wasn’t going to rule out an easier exit just yet, not until he had looked around the room in more detail. He glanced from side to side as he walked, feeling himself relax the longer he moved. The dragon’s presence still lingered in his mind, but he felt safer so deep in the ruin.

He turned his head to look at some of the carvings, Mikleo smiling as he looked at them. They at least were familiar, even if they were ancient. It was the style that could be seen in some of the older buildings in Ladylake, the oldest dating back to the Era of Asgard, although Mikleo was sure this ruin could possibly be dated later. There were some familiarities, but some of the carvings threw him off. They were more stylized, the figures created and definite by geometric patterns instead of the more freeform style that the Era of Asgard developed.

Mikleo paused to stare at a large craving of a group of humans bowing to a winged figure. He smiled at the sight of a seraph, the familiar depiction calming him. He had prayed to the Great Lords to save him, and he had landed in water instead of against stone. The dragon hadn’t followed him nor had it eaten him. He was being watched over, and that was comforting. Mikleo took a deep breath, bowing his head to the depiction of the seraphim. “Thank you. But, please, continue to watch over me. I may need your help a little bit longer.”

There was no acknowledgement of his request, not that Mikleo expected one. It was just good to know that he had someone on his side.

He lingered in front of the carving for a moment longer, just looking over all of the designs. It was gorgeous, and a shame that a dragon lived there. Mikleo just wanted to wander and look at everything, just to soak it all in. Later he could come back around and catalogue it all. It was a project that would take a lifetime, but Mikleo would be content to do it. It was the sort of thing that he had dreamed about, the sort of thing that his uncle would have enjoyed. Mikleo sighed, ducking his head slightly.

The small, childish fear was back, the one that made his stomach churn. It was the fear that made him want to run for his mother and hear her sing as she calmed him down. Or run to his uncle and listen to Michael carefully break down his fears until they made sense again. He had none of that now, and he missed them desperately.

He sighed and reached back to start pulling the pins out of his hair. He caught the headdress just before it fell, Mikleo turning it over in his hands. It was a beautiful thing, but it was lost just like the family one his uncle had talked about; snatched up by a dragon.

“Thank the Lords, you’re alive.”

Mikleo spun around at the voice, dropping the headdress in favor of clutching a hairpin in his hand. He looked around the room, narrowing his eyes when he didn’t see anyone there. He took a deep breath and glanced up at the hole in the roof, half remembering a shape looking down at him. There was no one up there, but Mikleo just wanted to be sure. He was about to take a step back when the voice called out again. “Over here!”

Mikleo lowered his gaze, the breath leaving him in a rush when he saw a very human hand sticking through the rubble at the other end of the room.

He took a slow step forward, hesitating for a moment as he considered the situation.

The person didn’t give them much time to think. They made a beckoning motion to him. “It’s alright.”

“Forgive me if I hesitate.”

The hand withdrew, Mikleo surprised by how lonely he suddenly was with that. He shifted his grip on the hairpin as he inched forward. The smarter thing to do would be to just turn and run, but there was another person with him. There was someone that could help him.

Mikleo swallowed and walked over to the rubble, dropping the hand that was holding the hairpin down to his side. “Hello?”

“I’m still here, don’t worry.” The hand reappeared briefly, Mikleo edging over to where the hand was. He sighed when it retreated, ducking his head slightly to look in the hole. He was surprised to see part of a cheek and a green eye peering back at him. The eye crinkled slightly, Mikleo assuming that the person on the other side was smiling. “I was so worried when I saw you lying there. I thought you were dead.”

“So you were coming to check on me?”

The person nodded slightly. “I was trying. The room is awkward to get into.”

“I came the express way.”

The person on the other side chuckled, Mikleo perking up at the sound. He edged closer to the rubble, leaning against it in an attempt to get closer. It looked like the person on the other side felt the same way.

They moved closer, their gaze moving up to the hole in the roof before they looked back at him. They moved their hand back into the hole, resting their fingers just within reach. It was an open invitation, but not one that Mikleo was sure that he could take immediately. That didn’t mean that he didn’t want to.

He settled against the rubble, watching the person’s eye. To his surprise, their expression softened. “You were lucky, and I’m glad.”

Mikleo swallowed, looking them as closely as he could. He couldn’t think of another way that the person could have gotten to the ruin except the way that he had. He swallowed, curling his fingers more tightly around the hairpin. “Did the dragon bring you too?”

The person stared at him for a moment before sighing. “Yes.”

Mikleo sighed, recalculating things. He would have thought that the dragon would eat them close to whenever it snatched them, apparently he had missed one. If it had missed one, then there might be others and he couldn’t leave them there. Mikleo rested his forehead against the rubble, feeling too exhausted to deal with this, but he had to keep going. “How many others are here?”

“Others?” The person tipped their head. “It’s just you and me.”

“Thank the Lords.” Mikleo shivered and gave the person a smile. “I didn’t like our odds of wandering around here and finding our way out.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I know the way.”

Mikleo perked up at that, moving to stand in front of the hole. He pressed his face against the hole, watching as the person shied back. Mikleo reacted before he could think, quickly reaching through the hole and stretching out his hand to them. “No, wait. Please. I don’t want to run into the dragon again. I can’t…I’m _scared_ …”

The person stopped, but they were too far away for Mikleo to see their expression. They didn’t remain at a distance long. They stepped back, gently taking Mikleo’s hand. Mikleo sucked in a breath at the callouses he felt as their fingers slid against each other. He sighed, slumping against the rubble. “Just…don’t go.”

They squeezed his hand. “I won’t.”

Mikleo nodded, relief flooding through him. He tightened his hold on their hand, glad when they didn’t ask him to let go. He licked his lips, giving the person a nod. “I’m sorry. If I’m going to be clinging to you, you might as well know my name. I’m Mikleo.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mikleo.”

He waited for the person to respond, surprised when the silence carried on. Mikleo shifted his hold on the person’s hand, getting a tighter hold. “What’s your name?”

“I…uh…”

Mikleo frowned, looking at the person on the other side. It was hard to tell their age when all he could see was their cheek and eye. But the pause made him worry. “How long have you been here?”

“It’s been…a long time.”

“And you survived?” Mikleo regretted his question when the person’s eye closed. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be. It’s just been a while since I’ve talked to another person.”

“Long enough to forget your name?”

The person just laughed, Mikleo sighing at the awkward tone that he heard in it. To his relief, the person didn’t pull away. “It has been a while. Just call me whatever you want.”

Mikleo huffed, almost offended on the person’s part. He was angry at the dragon who had just plucked them up and taken them away. He only known his own terror for the few hours he had been in the ruin, but he couldn’t imagine staying in it long enough to forget his own name.

He wracked his brain for a good name. He didn’t want to give one out randomly and without thought, because this was important. Names were important things.

Mikleo rubbed his thumb over the person’s hand. He almost regretted not paying attention to more things outside of his work with manuscripts. All he had were old names floating through his head, ones that he had been working on until his wedding day. Mikleo sucked in a quick breath, pushing all thought of Malfore away. He would worry about him later, there were more important things to focus on.

He tipped his head to the side, catching the person’s gaze. “How about Sorey?”

“Sorey?” The person rumbled the name out, Mikleo feeling his breath catch. He could feel that rumble in his own chest, and he liked it, just like he liked holding Sorey’s hand. It was a strange sensation, but one that he didn’t allow himself to think about. Getting out of the ruin was more important and he would have plenty of time to think about on the way back to Ladylake. He swallowed and looked back at Sorey, his mouth going dry when he realized Sorey was smiling again. “I like it.”

“That’s good. It’s really…it’s good…” Mikleo shook himself before he could keep going. He tried to focus, letting go of his tight hold on Sorey’s hand. He took the chance to look back over his shoulder at the hole that he had fallen through.

The dragon hadn’t come through it, but there was no telling when the creature would get tired of waiting and come after them. It would be better if they got moving. He shifted his hold on his hairpin in his other hand. “I think we should leave.”

“Right.” Sorey nodded at him. He squeezed Mikleo’s hand, giving him a steady look. “You’re going to have to do a bit of this on your own, but I’ll be right with you, I promise.”

Mikleo felt a sharp stab of fear, but he held it back. They had to get out, and he couldn’t be the one that delayed them.

He nodded, reluctantly letting go of Sorey’s hand. Mikleo took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. It didn’t quite work, but the threat of the dragon was too much to ignore. “Alright, where do I go?”

Sorey stuck his hand through the hole, pointing over to the left. “There should be a place where you can slip out through there. There’s a corridor on the others side. I’m just in there.”

Mikleo took a deep breath, not letting himself hesitate any longer. He squared his shoulders and moved to the far left of the rubble. He reached out to touch it, poking at the rubble until he found a gap. Mikleo grinned to himself, having to twist slightly to see the gap that Sorey was talking about. It was just barely big enough for him to squeeze through, but Mikleo was not about to complain.

He twisted himself sideways and pushed himself through the gap. The stones scraped at his clothes, Mikleo closing his eyes as he moved. He tried to keep his breathing shallow, not wanting to get himself stuck.

To his relief, the squeeze didn’t last too long. Mikleo breathed out when he was free, stumbling away from the rubble. He reached up to nudge the hairpin in his hand back into place in his hair, taking the moment to look around. The corridor was dimmer than the room he had been in, and it was more tightly packed. Mikleo turned to look at the other side of the corridor, reaching out touch when a section of wall had fallen across it. He ran his hand over the flagstone floor, looking at the pattern before pressing his hand against it. “S-sorey?”

“Here.” Mikleo sighed in relief when he heard Sorey’s voice on the other side of the collapsed section. He stepped closer to the floor, leaning his shoulder against it. He smiled as he heard Sorey start to speak. “I came at the room from the side closest to you, which was a mistake in hindsight. We’ll be moving along in the same direction but separated for a while longer. Just follow my directions and we’ll be fine. This whole place is a bit of a maze now that it’s falling down.”

Mikleo sighed, nodding even though he knew Sorey couldn’t see it. He would have preferred to have Sorey there beside him, but he wasn’t going to complain, especially when the two of them were getting out.

He dragged his hand over the fallen corridor as they walked, following after Sorey’s footsteps. To his relief, Sorey was keeping pace with him, just a few steps ahead. He tipped his head to the side, listening to Sorey’s footsteps even as he looked around. There were plenty of carvings to keep his attention off what could be waiting for them as soon as they got into any open space. It was a distraction that worked well enough, at least for the time being.

Mikleo scanned over the carvings, his eyes widening as he saw a dragon on one of the walls. He eyed the carving before hurrying along, feeling the urge to break the silence growing. He glanced around the corridor one more time before clearing his throat. “Do you know where we are?”

“It’s a shrine to Qwuas Scobjuwuw, Miwj ih Meqcsbebq.”

Mikleo’s eyes widened at the way the ancient tongue rolled of Sorey’s tongue. It sounded like he had never heard it before, practiced and sure. There was an accent to it too, one that Mikleo couldn’t quite place.

He hummed to himself, translating the titles. They were almost familiar, but the seraphim all had a complex web of titles that could be confusing. That and some of them had been forgotten as time had gone on or renamed.

Mikleo glanced along the corridor, searching the carvings for clues. He skipped over the scenes of daily life, smiling when he saw a depiction of a seraph with their common name underneath. “Lord Zenrus.”

“Yes. That’s it.”

Mikleo cocked his head, confused by the response. Outside of the people who worked in the libraries with him and the priests in the shrinechurch Mikleo couldn’t think of a person who referred to the seraphim by their titles alone. He looked at the fallen corridor, suddenly wishing that he could see the person on the other side. Seeing Sorey’s expression would help him, if only he could see it.

He sighed and went back to looking around the corridor, his gaze always flicking back to the carvings. He reached out to brush his fingers over the edge of one before jerking it back. With the way the ruin was falling apart, Mikleo expected it all to come crashing down in some way.

Sorey must have taken his silence as permission to continue, not that Mikleo minded. He was glad that there was someone else there with him. He didn’t know what he would have done otherwise. Mikleo drifted back over towards the division on the corridor, smiling as he listed to Sorey talk.

“It’s actually a huge place. I’ve gone from about end to end, but it comes out all over this mountain. It wasn’t always a shrine.”

“What makes you think that?”

Sorey hummed, the sound ending off in a low rumble that sent a shiver down Mikleo’s spine. He clutched at his sleeves, biting his lip. It had been a pleasant sound, something that Mikleo wouldn’t mind hearing again. He was so distracted by the sensation that he almost missed when Sorey started talking again.

“There’s a religious complex, and everything associated with it, including a few rooms for the priests that were here. But the middle levels of the complex start to look like a city. It’s not really lived in, but it was used for emergencies or just a short time. There’s evidence of flooding in some of the lower levels and the village has been rebuilt a few times. Those rooms still flood too.”

Mikleo sucked in a quick breath, turning his attention to where he thought that Sorey was walking. “You’ve been down to the village.”

There was a pause, Mikleo assuming that Sorey was nodding. “I go down every once and a while. I like to look around there and at the other shrine, the one for Fa- Dewqcs- Maotelus that’s there too.”

Mikleo played with the end of his sleeve, feeling his heart beat faster in excitement. “You’ve been down there without the dragon bothering you?”

“Um…yes?” There was a beat of silence. “The dragon doesn’t really bother me.”

“How?”

“I…just use the ruin to get everywhere. It’s too small to let it get too deep in.”

Mikleo breathed a sigh of relief, glancing up at the ceiling. They were safe, which was all that he could ask for. He was with the best person for the moment, someone who knew how to avoid the dragon. Better yet, Sorey was keeping him distracted with his little tidbits about the ruin. Distraction or not, it was fascinating.

He released his hold on his sleeve, looking over at where he could hear Sorey’s footsteps. “So, what would estimate the age of this place? I’m thinking era of Asgard.”

He expected another hum from Sorey, not the full out laugh that he got. Mikleo shuddered at the sound. He hadn’t been prepared for the sound or the way that he reacted. He shivered, the pit of his stomach feeling warm and molten. Mikleo wished that he wasn’t stuck on one side of the hallway. He wanted to be with Sorey, to see his expression and hear the sound without the rocks to muffle it.

He bit his lip, not daring to let go until he tasted blood. It was a nice feeling, but he couldn’t let himself get too caught up in it. Mikleo was surprised by how much that hurt. He had all the right reasons for marrying Malfore, except for the fact that he had no interest in him.

The ambassador had tried to give the best picture of Malfore, but Mikleo had never managed to get himself interested. The whole courtship had taken months, but it had taken hardly an hour for him to be interested in Sorey. Mikleo was sure part of it was because Sorey was a friendly face in a dangerous world, but another part of it was in the sound of Sorey’s voice and his obvious interest in history. If the ruin hadn’t had the threat of a dragon hanging over it, Mikleo would have been content to walk the halls with Sorey for as long as they could.

Mikleo drifted closer to the blockage in the corridor, running his hand along the flagstones. He wasn’t naïve enough to believe that he was falling in love with a stranger, but this was like what Uno had talked about when he had met Breunor. It wasn’t love, but he desperately wanted to keep talking with Sorey. It was nice, despite the circumstances. Mikleo licked his lips, wincing at the taste of blood, but that was easy to put out off his mind.

Sorey had said that he had been in the ruin for a long time, long enough to forget his name. He hadn’t said where he was from, but it had to be far away because Mikleo had never heard of another dragon kidnapping. It might take Sorey years to get back home, and there might not be anyone waiting for him. It was a lonely welcome back, and one that Mikleo didn’t think he deserved. After surviving the dragon for so long Sorey deserved more.

“Come back to Ladylake with me.”

There was a yelp from the other side, Mikleo only then realizing that he had spoken out loud.

He swallowed, trying to correct himself even as his voice stuttered over the words. “I mean…if it’s close by. I don’t want to take you away from your family. But if Ladylake is closer…you’re welcome to stay.”

“It’s three days away.” Sorey sounded sad, Mikleo confused by his tone of voice. Even still, he couldn’t stop the excitement that rushed through him.

“That’s not far.”

“No.”

“How far away were you taken from?”

“I…I don’t remember.”

“Then come with me!” Mikleo winced with the way his voice pitched up. He pressed his hand against the stones, staring at where he thought Sorey was.

He heard the scuff of a foot against the floor, Mikleo stepping forward to press himself harder against the corridor. “No one would mind.”

“But you were…”

Mikleo looked down at himself, wincing at the sight of his wedding clothes. It was very obvious what he was just doing. He plucked at the edge of his coat before shaking his head. “This was just…I was…” Mikleo tugged at his sleeve before sighing and reaching up to let down his hair. The braid thumped against his back, Mikleo patting it. He was tempted to tug it out, but he still wanted his hair out of the way for clambering around the ruin. He sighed and closed his eyes. “I was doing this as a favor for a friend. I didn’t want to see her stuck in a marriage she didn’t really want. But I…I don’t love him. And I know what this sounds like, inviting you to my home, but it’s nothing to do with any of that.”

“Oh.” Mikleo winced at the soft sound, not sure what it meant.

He shuffled forward a bit, staring at the flagstones. “Sorey?”

“We’re almost there.” Sorey sounded a bit distant, Mikleo starting to walk again as he tried to keep up with Sorey’s voice. Sorey didn’t slow down, Mikleo feeling like he’d overstepped somewhere. He didn’t get the chance to correct it, Sorey already talking again. “We’re getting close to the staircase. You have the easier route. I’m going to have to take the longer way.”

Mikleo froze in fear, feeling his breath catch in his throat. He stared at the corridor ahead of him. It was still enclosed, which meant he was safe, but that was only half the problem. There was someone else he had to consider now.

“W-will you be okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. And you will be too. It’s just up the stairs and through the giant hole in the wall. It’ll take some climbing, but you’ll get to the main part of the ruin. I’ll meet you there and we’ll get down the mountain.”

“Right.” Mikleo took a slow step forward, relieved when the motion became easier. He glanced over at rubble between them, reaching out to drag his fingers along the rocks. “Be careful, Sorey.”

He heard the footsteps on the other side stop, Mikleo imagining Sorey turning to face him. He still didn’t know how the other person smiled, but he remembered how the corner of Sorey’s eye had crinkled. He could imagine it doing the same as Sorey spoke, Mikleo leaning closer to the rubble at the warmth in Sorey’s voice. “You too, Mikleo.”

Mikleo sighed and closed his eyes, listening as Sorey walked away. He tried not to tense the further he heard Sorey moving. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

Sorey wasn’t abandoning him, they were both trying to get out and they had to go their separate ways. They would meet up at the top and move on. The two of them were in a similar situation, stolen away from their homes by a dragon and trying to get away. Mikleo was sure that the two of them would make it. They had to.

He nodded to himself and pushed away from the rubble. Mikleo turned and strode down the hall. He could see the base of the staircase that Sorey had mentioned, which meant that he was already part of the way there.

Mikleo jogged up to the base of the stairs. He craned his head up slightly, studying them. They were wide but not too long. He couldn’t see the hole that Sorey had told him about, but he was sure that it was there.

The stairs were too wide to take two at a time, and his wedding attire kept him moving more slowly than he would have liked. Mikleo muttered a curse under his breath, not bothering to try and stop the urge to go faster. He was so close to getting home, getting back to his mother and uncle. He _was_ going to get back there and he _was_ going to get Sorey to come with him. He was going to make sure that they were both safe. What that would mean for his arrangement with Malfore he didn’t know, but he would work it out. He wouldn’t let Alisha throw herself into a marriage that she would be miserable in, but he couldn’t let himself go happily into that, not anymore. There was a warmth to Sorey that he had never felt with Malfore and that was something that he wanted to hold onto.

Mikleo felt a laugh bubble up in his chest. He quickly muffled the sound in his sleeve. He didn’t want to give away his position, nor did he want to get too far ahead of himself. He should be focusing on moving as quickly as possible, because he didn’t want to keep Sorey waiting.

He reached the top of the stairs, looking around before he spotted the hole in the wall. It was just like Sorey said, a hard climb up, but he could do it. Mikleo nodded to himself, shoving the sleeves of his coat up before striding over to it.

The wall had collapsed backwards and rubble had fallen in. Mikleo shoved at one of the rocks, wincing at it wobbled. It wasn’t the most stable place to climb, but he could make it. He _would_ make it.

Mikleo hauled himself through the hole, bracing himself against the rubble. He took a deep breath before starting to climb. Mikleo was sure that he was pushing himself too fast, but he didn’t dare hesitate for too long. He was so close to escape that he could practically taste it.

He hauled himself over a chunk of rock, having to make an awkward jump to keep from sliding down with the loose rocks. Mikleo glanced back over his shoulder just long enough to see that it wouldn’t disrupt the rest of the pile before moving again. Ahead of him he could see a dim bit of light. Mikleo smiled and sped up, ignoring the rocks that skittered away beneath his feet. It wasn’t worth worrying about when he could see the edge of the floor that he was reaching for.

Mikleo stretched his arm up, clawing at the flagstone as he pulled himself onto the level surface. He scrambled up on his hands and knees. He paused a moment to pant for breath, freezing when a short burst of laughter escaped him. Mikleo pressed his sleeve against his mouth, crouching in the hole as he looked around.

The dragon was nowhere to be seen, but that didn’t mean that it was gone. It could be looking for him or Sorey somewhere else in the ruin. Mikleo scanned over the large room, his gaze lingering on the large hole in the floor. That’s where he had fallen through earlier and he would make sure to avoid that area.

He got to his feet slowly, looking around the large room for any other signs of movement. Sorey had said that he had the harder route, so it might take him longer. Still, Mikleo didn’t feel right waiting out in the open for him, it made him feel too exposed.

Mikleo started to edge towards the large hole in the wall He skirted close to the rubble in the room, keeping within close reach. He wanted to be able to dart into a hiding place if he needed to. That just left him worrying about Sorey.

He swallowed, reaching out to brace himself against the wall. Mikleo looked around the room, searching for any sign of movement. He didn’t think that the dragon would have caught Sorey. He didn’t want to think about Sorey getting caught. Mikleo curled his fingers against the stone, pressing his other hand to his heart. He could feel his heart pounding, and he was sure that anyone in the ruin could hear it.

He glanced into the shadows of a pile of rubble, tempted to slip into it. Mikleo shook his head, holding himself in place. He would give Sorey time to get out despite his fear. They were in this together, and he didn’t want to run after Sorey had helped him this far. No one should be left with a dragon, especially one that was going to get hungry.

He shifted in place, dragging his gaze back to the main room only to freeze when he saw a shadow on the wall. Mikleo flinched back at the sight of a horned head, his resolve crumbling completely when the shadow of wings was thrown up on the wall.

Mikleo was moving before he could think about it, sprinting for the opening in the wall. He stumbled over the fallen stones, barely catching himself on one before he fell on his face. He glanced back over his shoulder just long enough to see the wings folding slightly. Mikleo shivered and ducked around a large piece of rumble.

He pressed his back against the rocks, panting for breath. Now that he was momentarily safe he felt the first pangs of guilt. He had run without thinking of Sorey.

Mikleo licked his lips, trying to gather himself together to look back into the room. He would take a quick peek and see what he could do.

He took a few more deep breaths before moving to look around the rock.

The room was clear, but he wasn’t surprised about that. Sorey would know how to hide when the dragon came. That just left the question of where the dragon was.

Mikleo leaned out a bit further, freezing when he heard the scuff of a foot against the rock. He twisted slightly barely getting anywhere before he heard a familiar voice.

“Mikleo?”

He sighed and relaxed against the rock. “Sorey. I thought the dragon had-”

The words died in his mouth when he looked over at Sorey. His first instinct was that the person he was looking at wasn’t Sorey. Then again, he recognized the voice and the eyes. He recognized the way that they crinkled when Sorey smiled, but that wasn’t enough to reassure him. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from the blue tipped silver horns that came out from Sorey’s brown hair.

Mikleo took a step back, staring at Sorey in shock. He had read Doctor Mathis’ treatises about how humans sometimes developed extra limbs because of strange irregularities in birth. The treatises had come with illustrations, but none of the irregularities had been as developed as the ones that he saw on Sorey. His horns almost looked like the real thing, as did the tail that Mikleo could just see around a piece of rubble.

He grabbed onto his sleeve, staring at Sorey. “W-what are you?”

Sorey ducked his head and looked bashful. The motion brought his attention to the rise of something parallel with Sorey’s shoulder. The sight of the two humps made his heart beat faster. “Where’s the dragon?”

Sorey shook his head. “You don’t have to worry about it. We’re safe.”

“How are you sure?”

“I just…” Sorey made a helpless motion with his hands. “I just know these things.”

“How?!”

Sorey gave him a hurt look before holding out his hand. “I promise that I’ll get you home. I _promise_. You just have to trust me. Do you trust me?”

Mikleo stared at the offered hand, but his gaze quickly snapped back to the tail and horns. He shook his head, taking a few more steps back.

He reached out to try and keep Sorey back as he started to follow after. “No. Just, stay where you are.”

“Mikleo-”

“Please just…”

“Mikleo-”

“Stay away!”

“Mikleo, the edge!”

“I told you-” Mikleo cut himself off as he stepped back and his foot didn’t land on anything. He flailed his arms, looking over his shoulder. He found himself looking over the edge of the ruin and then he was falling over the edge.

He clawed at the air, his eyes widening as he saw Sorey lunge for him. Sorey reached after him, their hands slipping against each other and then Mikleo was falling away.

“Mikleo!”

Mikleo stared up at Sorey, his mouth falling open when he saw Sorey’s wings snap open. The sunlight glittered on the silver feathers before Sorey was diving after him.

He yanked his hand back, but he was too slow. Sorey’s fingers closed around his wrist, Mikleo trying to wiggle it away. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted Sorey to let go or not because he was unsure of what he was really seeing. He opened his mouth, not sure if he was going to tell Sorey to let him go or plead with him to help. But it was hard to speak with the way that his heart felt like it was pounding in his throat.

He tensed as Sorey pulled him close, one of Sorey’s arms going around his waist. Mikleo squeaked as he was pressed up against Sorey, staring into Sorey’s eyes. He didn’t think that Sorey really saw him because Sorey was holding him close and flapping his wings. The motion slowed their fall, but it didn’t arrest it.

Sorey grunted as he took up the weight. The beat of his wings faltered, Sorey straining for a moment before he gasped. Mikleo took the time to get a better grip on Sorey, surprised when Sorey looked back down at him with worry.

Sorey’s expression twisted into regret before he shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“What?”

Sorey didn’t answer him, he just loosened his grip. Mikleo tried to tighten his grip on Sorey, surprised when Sorey flapped his wings and twisted them around in the air.

Mikleo found himself looking down at Sorey, his mouth dropping open as Sorey folded his wings slightly. He shook his head, reaching out for him to try and tug them out again. If Sorey could lift them up, then maybe they could glide, but this kind of plan was suicidal. He still wanted answers to his questions and he needed Sorey around for that. He needed Sorey to get back home.

He tried to get the words out, Sorey’s name catching in his throat at the soft, silver glow he could see coming from Sorey. He stared at the glow centered on Sorey’s chest.

The glow spread outward along Sorey’s veins, burning brightly as it went. Mikleo stared at the glow until he had to squint, almost missing the moment that it consumed Sorey.

The silver flames whipped out, Mikleo flinching back from them as they licked at his arms. He held his arms in front of his face, peeking out from between them at Sorey.

The glow faded, Mikleo watching as the dragon flicked the last of the silver flames from its wings, the wind of their fall ruffling through his feathers.

Mikleo stared at the dragon, the wind carrying away his squeak of fear. To his relief, the dragon didn’t seem to notice. It was too busy looking over its shoulder. It didn’t like whatever it saw there because it squawked and reached for him.

Mikleo flinched back from the dragon’s claws. “No!”

The dragon didn’t seem to understand him because it reached up and grabbed him in his forehands. The grip was gentle as the dragon pulled Mikleo close. Mikleo found himself crushed against the dragon’s chest as they continued to plummet. He turned his head, trying to see what was happening.

He could fell the dragon twisting and trying to flap its wings. The dragon warbled, its wings flapping frantically and then they were knocking into the side of the mountain.

Mikleo gasped as he found himself pressed harder against the dragons’ feathers, the dragon curling around him as the world turned. Mikleo reached out to grab handfuls of the dragon’s feathers, clinging as the two of them tumbled down the mountain. He got glimpses of the mountain, ruins and the flailing limbs of the dragon. He lost track of which way was up, Mikleo giving up a moment later and closing his eyes.

There was nothing else to do but hold on and hope that they survived the fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two tiles used for Zenrus are Qwuas Scobjuwuw which translates to Great Thunderer, and Miwj ih Meqcsbebq, which translates to Lord of Lightning.


	2. Chapter 2

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,  
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”  
- _Hamlet_ , William Shakespeare

* * *

 

Muse stared at the teacup that was set in front of her, watching the steam rise without really seeing it. She didn’t really see most of anything in the council room. She was aware that there were other people at the table and more shuffling around the room, but nothing much beyond that. Her focus was on the numbing cold that seemed to have settled deep into her bones. She shivered and tugged at the coat around her, stopping halfway through the motion.

She couldn’t remember when the coat had been put on her or who it belonged to. She couldn’t remember much after the dragon had appeared and stolen Mikleo.

Muse closed her eyes, curling in on herself. It didn’t help, because even with her eyes closed she could see the dragon flying off with her son in its claws. She had been close enough to see the terror on Mikleo’s face, but too far away to reach out to pull him back. All she’d been able to do was stand and watch.

She bit her lip, not realizing how much she was shaking until she felt an arm settle over her shoulders. Muse opened her eyes and looked over at Michael.

Her brother looked pale and shaken even bundled up in everything that had been piled on them. The sight of all of the blankets and jackets reminded her of the wet press of her dress against her ankles and up along the rest of her legs. Muse reached down to try pluck at the sodden fabric, but Michael was quick to reach down at stop her.

Michael held her hand, gently guiding it over to the teacup. “Drink.”

“But-”

“Just drink.”

Muse glared at him, annoyed when he didn’t do anything more than turn back to stare down the table. She wanted to shake him and demand that he focus on the problem.

Mikleo was gone, stolen away by a dragon and there was a chance that they wouldn’t see him again. No one knew what happened to the people who had been sacrificed before, they had just never returned. Then again, no one ever bothered to go after them. Muse didn’t intend to let that happen to Mikleo. He was not going to get eaten. She would kill the dragon herself if that is what it took to save her son.

She took a deep breath, about to stand up and storm out of the room when the door at the back of the room swung open.

Muse twisted around to watch as Alisha and some of her knights strode in. They were all outfitted in their armor and weapons. Some of the women still clutched them anxiously, looking around the room like they expected a dragon to appear in their midst. Muse tensed, looking them over. The two knights who had escorted Alisha in were young. Muse remembered watching their knighting ceremony just a month ago. That the two of them were here meant that the older, more experienced knights were still out in the city.

Muse swallowed and turned her attention back to Alisha as the princess made her way to the head of the table. She nudged her chair out but didn’t bother to sit. Alisha just leaned against the table, looking down at all of them. The serious expression stayed on her face until Alisha looked at Muse, then it contorted into something else.

Alisha pushed away from the table, giving Muse a partial bow. “I’m sorry. I should have posted guards so this couldn’t have happened.”

Muse shook her head, barely getting the time to answer before someone down the table snorted. She leaned forward to see around Michael, surprised to see Malfore there.

It was the first time she had really seen the man. Mikleo had kept the majority of the negotiations for his marriage to himself. Muse had thought that it meant that he was too excited to wait for their input, or that she thought that he had specific views about how the marriage would go. That thought had been one of the first to be banished, but she had trusted Mikleo to know what he was doing.

She looked Malfore over, watching as he took off his hat and set it on the table. He ran a hand through his sandy brown hair before sighing. “I mean, you couldn’t have known. The Shepherds have been sure that the dragons were dead for years now. Clearly this one slipped through.”

Muse looked back at Alisha, watching as the princess stumbled over her words before giving Malfore a short nod. “Clearly.” Her gaze flickered back to Muse before she sighed.

Alisha sat down heavily in her chair, running a hand over her face. The silence only lasted for a moment before Alisha shook her head. “Maltran and the Blue Valkyries are calming the people down and then patrolling the city. I’ll have them keep doing that until we come up with a solution to the dragon problem.”

Alisha held her gaze for a moment before looking over at Malfore. Muse followed her gaze, watching as Malfore tensed. He looked over them all before shifting in his seat. “Well I…I’m not particularly practiced in this.”

“But you’re the best we have.”

“Yes.” Malfore didn’t look happy about that. He reached out to play with his hat, running his fingers around the seams at the top. “I realize this. I don’t have much experience with dragons, so I might need some time in the library to-”

“Some time!” Muse almost didn’t recognize her voice when she spoke up. It was only when Michael squeezed her arm that she realized she was the one who had spoken. She swallowed and looked around, surprised to see so many people at the table. She didn’t know when they had all come in but they were all staring at her.

Muse met the gaze of the cardinal. The man held her gaze for a moment before looking away. Beside him, Breunor gave a little shake of his head. Muse wasn’t sure what he meant, but she didn’t want to wait to see what he would say to her. She glanced over at where Bartlow was looking haggard and nervous, something that she never thought he would be reduced to. More than anything it was a barometer of what the situation really was, which made her panic

She swallowed and turned back to look at Malfore, ignoring the way her arms shook. “We don’t have much time. It’s been hours already.”

“I understand.” Malfore reached up to touch his pocket, tracing the shape of something inside it. He didn’t seem to realize that he was doing it, his gaze somewhere off in the distance. “I want to rescue Mikleo as much as you do, but I want to do this right. I don’t want to be surprised by something we weren’t prepared for.”

“But-”

Malfore put up a hand, keeping the other firmly on his pocket. “I’m not asking for a week, just for the rest of the day. We’ll need the time to prepare anyway.” He turned to look at Alisha, nodding at her. “I’ll take my Squires and leave your knights to take care of Ladylake.”

“Thank you, Shepherd Malfore.” Bartlow reached up to dab at his forehead, already looking relieved. “It’s more than we expected.”

Malfore’s expression fell, the Shepherd frowning at him. “More than you expected? He’s my fiancé and I don’t intend to let him sit in the grip of a dragon, or get eaten.”

“I just meant-”

“I promised to help Ladylake and I intend to keep that promise. I might not have gotten married, but I consider myself bound by that agreement.” Malfore turned to nod at Muse. “I promise to bring Mikleo back.”

Muse gave him a short nod, not sure that she could say anything more to him. His declarations were not quite soothing, but at least he was going to help. What she didn’t like was his insistence on pausing. She could barely sit still because she was sure that she felt every minute ticking past her. Every minute gone was another minute that Mikleo was in trouble. Every minute gone was another minute of Mikleo scared and alone.

She wrapped her arms around herself, looking around the table. There was no one else volunteering to go, which made her bristle. The cardinal had known Mikleo since he was a child. The man had practiced his sermons while walking Mikleo. She would have expected him to volunteer something at least, but he was silent. Muse frowned, glaring at the cardinal before standing up. “I’ll go too.”

Michael yelped, Muse ignoring the sound in favor of glaring everyone down. She could feel him reaching out to tug on the coat that she was wearing. It was something that he was always doing, trying to hold her back from charging in. It was what he had always done.

Muse swallowed and looked over at Alisha. “Your highness, I might not be trained to kill a dragon, but that won’t stop me.”

Alisha shifted in her seat, obviously not comfortable with the request. Muse didn’t intend to give her time to get comfortable. She leaned forward further. “Your highness, I’m not asking permission.”

Bartlow started to sputter, Muse ignoring the sound. Bartlow didn’t matter and neither did Alisha in the end.

Muse opened her mouth to say something else when Michael yanked her back down into her chair. She twisted around, trying to slap his hands away. Michael just caught her wrists, leaning out to speak to Alisha. “Your highness, we know the area. I think that would be an asset to Shepherd Malfore.”

From the way that Alisha raised an eyebrow Muse could tell that she had seen through it. Alisha tipped her head to the side, looking between the two of them before she shrugged. “Shepherd Malfore?”

“Well…I wouldn’t say no.” Malfore swallowed, giving his pocket one more pat before letting his hand drop back down. “I could use the help and I think it would help Mikleo when we get him back.”

Alisha nodded. “Then go. And come back safe.”

Malfore stood up and bowed with a flourish. He turned on his heel and left the room, Muse watching him sweep out. The show was a little bit over the top, and she wasn’t sure if he was throwing his weight around because of how new he was or if that was just his personality. She supposed that she would be able to figure that out later.

Bartlow spoke up as soon as the door shut behind Malfore. He leaned forward, looking at Alisha. “Send some of the Blue Valkyries.”

Alisha frowned and shook her head. “They’re needed here.”

“But we can’t lose him.” Barlow slammed his hand against the table. “If there’s one dragon there must be more. We cannot risk losing him.”

“And I won’t risk the people.”

Bartlow sputtered for a moment before turning to look at Michael. Muse tensed as the man’s gaze jumped over her to settle on her brother, hating that she was so obviously ignored. Bartlow didn’t seem to notice, he was too busy glaring at Michael. “You’re the expert, you should be able to tell us if there are more dragons out there.”

Michael shrugged. “I can only point him to the records. No one kept a record of living dragons. We only know about the ones that they killed. For all we know, Shepherd Julius killed the last dragon hundreds of years ago.” Michael shrugged, the motion seeming to anger Bartlow more.

He turned to speak to Alisha again, but Muse didn’t want to hear it. Bartlow would be trying to get Malfore to stay through any means necessary, which meant considering a world where Mikleo wasn’t alive. Muse wasn’t ready to acknowledge that yet.

She stood up, shoving her chair back. Muse tugged the coat closer to her, walking towards the door. Her skirts slapped against her legs as she walked, Muse frowning. If she was going to follow Malfore then she needed to be ready. She wasn’t sure if he would leave her behind, but she didn’t know him well at all. She had always assumed that she would get the time to know him.

She stepped outside of the council room, reaching down to shake her skirts out to try and adjust them. It didn’t help any, which made her huff.

She rubbed her hands together, frowning at the way that they shook. Muse wasn’t sure if it was because of what could happen to Mikleo or because of the thought of the dragon. Muse sighed and closed her eyes.

Dragons had always existed in the stories that Michael told or in the statues in the shrinechurch. Muse hadn’t paid too much attention to them otherwise because they were gone. The closest they had gotten to her family had been in the taking of their great-great aunt, Lailah. That had seemed so distant as well because even their great-great-grandmother couldn’t remember her older sister. But now they had this.

Muse squeezed her hands, jumping when she felt another set close around hers. She opened her eyes, smiling when she saw her brother.

Michael gave her a quick smile back, although he didn’t hold her gaze long. He dropped it to their hands with a long sigh. “I shouldn’t have told him all those stories.”

Muse shook her head. “That has nothing to do with it.”

Michael raised one shoulder in a shrug. “It feels like it.”

“Michael, you couldn’t have called the dragon.” Muse shifted her hands so she was holding his. “What you can do is find out everything you can about the dragon.”

Michael nodded, some determination returning to his face. “And then we’ll find him.”

Muse squeezed his hands, not daring to say anything. She didn’t want to tempt fate. What she wanted more than anything was to bring Mikleo back safely. Then they could worry about the other things later, like the chance that there were more dragons in the world than they originally thought.

She let go of Michael’s hand, trying not to show her impatience as he bustled off in the direction of the library. It was important to figure out what to do about the dragon, but the time it would take didn’t sit well with her.

She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. There was no evidence that the seraphim had retreated back to the heavens where they had come from or just gone to sleep like all the stories said they had. Still, she felt better addressing her pleas to something. In the shrinechurch there were the carvings and the statues. In the palace there was only the ceiling. Still, it was better than nothing.

Muse muttered a quick prayer to the seraphim under her breath, holding her positon a moment longer before stepping away. She had asked for the help from greater beings, now she had to help herself. Muse rolled her shoulders and strode towards the front doors of the palace.

* * *

Mikleo groaned around a mouthful of feathers. He opened his eyes, confused by the fuzzy edges to his vision. It took him a moment to realize that part of his vision was obscured by silver feathers. He stared blearily at them, trying to piece together what had happened. It came back to him in a rush, Mikleo abruptly pushing himself up when he realized what he was lying on.

He ignored the small aches all over his body as he shoved himself away from the dragon’s chest. Mikleo fell backwards, catching himself before he could fall on the ground. He ended up hopping awkwardly to keep from tripping over the sprawled limbs of the dragon. He twisted to avoid stepping on an out flung wing, Mikleo finally managing to get his balance when he was out of danger but he kept moving until he was well away from the dragon. It was only when he was a safe distance away that he stopped.

He was outside for the first time since he had been snatched up from the lake. Mikleo looked around, letting out his breath in a rush when he couldn’t tell where he was. From the ground all he could see was the forest in front of him and the mountain behind him. Beyond that, he only had what Sorey had told him. The ruin on the mountain was dedicated to Lord Zenrus and the shrine that he had gotten a glimpse of belonged to Lord Maotelus. The only place that Mikleo could think of with those shrines in the same place was in the Guest Mountains, which created a problem.

Mikleo had made a special study of the area around Ladylake, mostly because those were the books that were widely available to him. Despite his skill and relation to Michael some of the other people who worked in the royal library and the record room wouldn’t let him work with some of the rarer books. Still, it had been enough to convince him of one thing. The seraphim might have disappeared from humanity’s sight, but traces of them still remained.

The Aroundight Forest was one of them, a forest with a lingering curse. People would find their way in and became doomed to wander. Sometimes a lucky few managed to wander out, although never where they had come in. Most people just disappeared.

Mikleo shuddered at the thought, taking another slow step back. The Aroundight Forest was just one of his problems, if the forest in front of him was the Aroundight Forest at all. Considering everything, Mikleo wasn’t sure he could trust anything that Sorey told him.

He let his gaze drift over to the dragon, shuddering at the sight of it. It was a little better that the dragon was motionless, although that didn’t keep him from being wary.

On a second look, the dragon was not as big as he thought it had been when it had first snatched him up. It was maybe a foot taller than him at its shoulder. It was the length that was impressive, the dragon a massive awkward coil on the ground.

Mikleo glanced down at the feathered wing closest to him, tempted to reach out and touch it, but he couldn’t be sure that the dragon wouldn’t snap at him. Nothing the dragon had done so far makes no sense. First it had come to snatch him from his wedding, then it hadn’t eaten him. Then it had saved him when he had fallen off the mountain.

No, Sorey had saved him.

Mikleo frowned, trying to wrap his head around what had happened. He remembered Sorey, silver flames and then the dragon. He was still trying to put it all together, but it felt like he kept starting and stopping over certain bits of what had happened. He shook his head, glancing around.

The snow that had fallen on Ladylake was lighter here, like the mountain was experiencing a milder winter than everywhere else. Mikleo scuffed his foot across the snow, staring at the layer of browned grass underneath. He sighed, rubbing his arms. It wasn’t cold enough to really worry him, he could wander a bit, just until he found another way out. Mikleo gave the forest a rueful glance before shaking his head. He would save that option to last, just in case it was the Aroundight Forest like Sorey had told him.

He sucked in a deep breath, shaking his head to clear it. Standing around wouldn’t get him anywhere, and he had to get back before his absence ruined everything. Ladylake needed a Shepherd and Alisha didn’t need to be tied down like that. Malfore wasn’t a bad looking man, it was something that Mikleo could get used to, if he got back home.

Mikleo turned, intending to walk away when the dragon stirred. He froze in place, watching with wide eyes as the dragon rolled. It untangled itself, folding one wing back and dragging another into place. The dragon went to fold it back by stopped halfway through the motion. The dragon hissed, panting for breath.

He went to take another step back when the dragon whipped its head around. It looked at him with more intelligence than Mikleo remembered, its green eyes looking him up and down. The dragon stretched out its neck, Mikleo taking a step back to keep from getting too close to its muzzle.

The dragon made a pained sound, Mikleo watching as it shook before crashing down onto its stomach. Mikleo sucked in a quick breath, ready to take off running when there was a bright flash of silver.

He watched as the silver flames traveled over the dragon, burning away feathers and snow and leaving a faint burning outline in silver sparks. Mikleo stared at them, tracing out the outline of the dragon in sparks. One of the wings nearly reached him, Mikleo shuddering at how close it was. He crouched down, reaching out to touch some of the silver sparks that were bobbing. That was enough to send them all dropping to the ground. The sparks guttered and disappeared, leaving Sorey slumped in the middle of the melted snow outline.

Mikleo inched forward, watching Sorey’s side rise and fall steadily. He breathed a sigh of relief, although he wasn’t quite sure why. It could be because it meant that his eyes hadn’t lied to him, or because he could still remember the voice on the other side of the corridor that had talked him down it.

His gaze darted to Sorey’s wings, the two of them in the same position that the dragon’s wings had been. One was tucked up against his back, but the other was spread out. The wings were smaller now, proportional. That made things make sense in a strange way, although nothing else made sense about it. People just didn’t turn into dragons. People just didn’t look like the old representations of seraphim either.

Mikleo bit his lip, shifting in place. It was harder to abandon Sorey when he looked human, and something in him flinched at that. It seemed like an uncharitable thought, especially after years of Muse telling him to care about all things.

_“It’s a beautiful world, Mikleo, and we have to share it with so many different people and creatures. We all have to help each other. You never know where a little kindness will take you.”_

Mikleo sighed, watching as Sorey stirred.

Sorey pushed himself up onto his elbows, hovering there for a moment before he shook his head. He turned his head to look at Mikleo, his face contorting in pain before Sorey managed a smile. He looked relieved that Mikleo was there, Sorey nodding slowly before he sunk back to the ground. Mikleo held still as Sorey dropped with a groan, the tip of Sorey’s tail flicking before it settled.

Mikleo stared at him, watching as Sorey’s breathing evened out again. He hesitated a moment longer before dragging a hand down his face with a curse. He dropped his hand and stared up at the sky, taking a deep breath.

He couldn’t leave Sorey out in the open, even if it wasn’t freezing. He owed Sorey more than that and it just wasn’t right.

Mikleo turned to look back up the mountain, groaning as he stared up at the ruin. It would be a long way up there, but maybe there could be a place where they could rest. Maybe then Sorey might regain consciousness and help Mikleo move him up the mountain. Until then, he would have to make his own way.

He pulled off his jacket, glancing at the forest. He didn’t think he would be able to drag Sorey all the way up by his arms, so he’d have to find an alternative. Mikleo shifted the jacket in his arms before nodding to himself.

He walked past Sorey, pausing just long enough to drop the coat over him. He kept moving, heading to the forest. Walking into the Aroundight Forest would be stupid, but he didn’t intend to go completely into the forest. There were plenty of branches lying around that he could use. Certainly just straying under the shade of the trees wouldn’t be enough to call up the curse, or so he hoped. Wandering around the Aroundight Forest until he died from starvation didn’t sound like a good way to go.

Mikleo stared up at the trees, reaching out to touch one. He pressed his palm against it, smiling up at it. All the trees in the forest looked old, old and majestic. It didn’t look like the kind of place that could harm anyone. Then again, Sorey didn’t look like the type of person to be a dragon.

He sighed, rubbing his thumb against the tree before starting to move along the edge of the forest. He just need a couple of branches to make something to tow Sorey along with. He would have to jerry-rig the rest, but it was doable.

Mikleo rolled his shoulders, focusing on the floor on the verge of the forest. He didn’t want to wander too far from Sorey, or just keep moving along the edge of the verge.

He paused when he saw a forked branch draped halfway down a tree. It was perfect for what he needed, and snapped off at a good enough distance that he could use it as a handle. Mikleo nodded to himself and moved towards it, reaching out for the stick only to stop himself. He turned his attention to the tree. Mikleo swallowed and reached out to touch it, running his palm over it. He didn’t quite know what he was doing, but it felt like the right thing to do. The forest might be something that had been touched by a seraph, and respect had to be paid. The problem was that he didn’t know how to do it.

Mikleo swallowed and patted the tree. It felt like too little, but there wasn’t else he dared to do. A prayer to the seraphim hadn’t been able to keep away a dragon, and he wasn’t sure what it would attract. Instead, he just nodded at the tree before reaching for the branch. He tugged hard on it, stumbling back when the branch came free. Mikleo looked down at it, nodding at himself.

He could load Sorey onto it and start to drag him up the mountain. He guessed that Sorey would mostly fit on it. His feet and tail would be dragging, but that couldn’t be helped.

Mikleo glanced up into the forest, freezing as he stared at the dappled light that was coming through the trees. It was beautiful and looked so warm. It wouldn’t take much to walk right into the forest, and he would be safe. The dragon wouldn’t be able to get to him in there, the trees grew too closely and the cover was too thick. He could walk deep into the forest and not have to worry about anything, not the dragon, not his marriage and not about the future. It would be nice and warm and all he had to do was step in.

He swayed forward, staring at a beam of light that fell through the leaves and reaching out to it. He startled at the sound of a branch dragging after him.

Mikleo looked down at it, his eyes widening in shock. He started to lift his head, just stopping himself from looking at the forest. If he did, he would fall into the same trap, and then he would walk off. That way he would never get home, and Ladylake would be left vulnerable. Ladylake needed a Shepherd, now more than ever with the dragon.

He licked his lips and looked back over his shoulder, his stomach turning slightly. Sorey was still where he had left him, slumped on the ground. It was easier to imagine Malfore killing a dragon than it was to imagine him killing Sorey. Mikleo wasn’t sure he could stomach Malfore killing Sorey. A dragon was one thing, but Sorey was almost human.

He turned away from the forest, dragging the branch behind him. He would take the time to think about that after he had taken care of Sorey. It would keep him away from the forest as well, because Mikleo didn’t like his chances with it. He might have doubted Sorey before, but there was no question that it was the Aroundight Forest. Nothing else would have called them like that.

Mikleo shook his head and dropped the branch beside Sorey. He looked Sorey over, shaking his head. He would have to get Sorey onto the branch and on his stomach. He’d also have to take care of Sorey’s wings.

He frowned, inching closer to Sorey. Mikleo reached out, just stopping short of touching Sorey. He stared at Sorey’s wings, looking at the fall of them. The left one was tucked up against him in a position that Mikleo assumed was normal, the right one was held out. Mikleo hummed and walked around Sorey.

He couldn’t just leave the wing out, not when it could knock against things. It would be better to tuck it up, and that would involve touching Sorey.

Mikleo swallowed, reaching out to touch the feathers. They gave under his hand, Mikleo wiggling his fingers in until he felt the skin underneath. He looked at the fall of silver feathers over his fingers, yanking them away a moment later. It was too strange, and he didn’t dare think about it all too long. It was easier just to keep moving.

He walked along the edge of Sorey’s wing, going back to where it attached to his body. Mikleo tipped his head to look at the way that the shirt was tied in the back. It was secured around the back of Sorey’s neck, leaving all of his shoulders free so the wings could be unencumbered. The shirt reappeared on Sorey’s lower back, where it was tied in place. Mikleo doubted that he would be able to shove the awkward wing into the shirt. It would be too tight.

Mikleo bit his lip, playing with the lace on his sleeve before stopping himself. He crouched down beside Sorey, staring at the joint where the wing joined the body. He tipped his head to the side, reaching out to touch it.

The reaction was immediate, Sorey hissing and his wing twitching. He didn’t wake up, which was a relief. Mikleo sighed, focusing back on the joint. Even with his fingers resting lightly on it, he could feel the heat coming from it. He didn’t know much about the human body, let alone whatever Sorey was. But he did know enough to see that it wasn’t obviously broken, but that it would be annoying to keep there. The heat and the swelling was something that he would have to deal with.

He plucked at the end of his sleeve, looking around. There was plenty of snow, he just had to find a way to keep it applied to the joint.

Mikleo looked down at his shirt, staring at the black fabric before sighing. He stripped it off, laying it on the ground in front of him. Mikleo shivered from the bit of the cold, rubbing his arms. He desperately wanted to get his jacket back, but he would need it. He could tie the jacket around the branch and Sorey to keep Sorey from falling off. The black shirt could be wrapped around the wing with snow packed in around it.

He nodded at the plan, twisting around to grab handfuls of snow. He packed it around the joint, gritting his teeth when Sorey twitched. He spared a glance at Sorey, but he didn’t dare stop.

Mikleo pressed the snow tight it around the joint before leaning back. It was awkward to get a good hold on the wing, Mikleo huffing when it slid out of his grip twice. He muttered a curse, giving up momentarily to slip the black shirt around Sorey. When it was in place, Mikleo stood up, looking down at Sorey’s wing.

He reached forward to grab the top edge of the wing, ignoring the press of the feathers against his hands. The sooner he could get this done, the sooner that he could leave.

Mikleo braced himself and began to fold the wing back. He expected to meet resistance, but the wing folded. The only problem he could see was the way that Sorey twitched and whimpered. Mikleo kept focused on his task, crouching down when he got the wing back into place. He braced it with a knee, holding it there long enough to tie it down in place. Mikleo tugged on the knot a few times before stepping back. It held, although Sorey had a pained look on his face.

Mikleo shook his head and stepped away, reaching for the coat that he had left on the ground. He spread it out, making sure the sleeves were clear of the branches. He looked over his work, nodding before turning back to Sorey.

To his relief, Sorey was still unconscious. Mikleo breathed a sigh of relief, reaching back to play with his braid. Now came the hard part.

Mikleo rolled his shoulders before bending over to grab Sorey’s shoulders. He got the best hold that he could get before starting to drag Sorey backwards.

He that thought that Sorey would be heavier with the extra limbs, but he didn’t struggle as much as he thought. If anything it seemed that making sure that Sorey was centered was the most difficult part. Mikleo grumbled under his breath as he pulled Sorey the last few inches into place.

He dropped his hold on Sorey, watching him to be sure that he didn’t slide off. As it was, he looked precariously balanced, which was even more reason to get him secured.

Mikleo bent down to flip the sleeves of his coat up and over Sorey, frowning when they didn’t quite reach. He strained to try and get them to meet, giving up when they couldn’t make it. He huffed and took a step back, staring at the whole arrangement.

It looked like he would still have to drag Sorey up the mountain without some kind of sledge unless he figured out something else. Mikleo reached back to pull his braid over his shoulder, playing with it. He tapped the end against his chest, stopping when he realized what he was doing.

Mikleo tipped his head to the side, looking at the braid. He had grown his hair out in accordance with Ladylake marriage traditions. It hadn’t been a bother, but he hadn’t paid much attention to it aside from getting it out of his way. He would have cut it off after a year of marriage to burn the braid and signify that he was happy with the marriage. But he needed the extra length of something, and his hair was not a key part of the wedding, it was just tradition.

He patted the braid as he looked around. It would have been too much to ask for a knife at the ready. Even having the dragon around meant that he could have used its claws. The only thing left to him were sticks and rocks, and Mikleo was not about to go into the forest again. Mikleo shuddered at the thought, clutching at his braid.

There was no way that he was going back into the forest, not when he might not catch himself before he was pulled in. Then he would wander the forest until he died, and he would never get back home.

Mikleo tried to ignore the shiver down his spine, because he wouldn’t let that happen. He was going to stay as far away from the forest as possible, which left him with rocks.

He dropped into a crouch, looking at the rocks that were available to him. Most of them were rounded stones, probably worn from being on top of the mountain and then tumbling down. Mikleo nudged those aside, picking through them until he found a stone with a sharp edge. He twisted it in his hands, staring at the edge. He nodded to himself, reaching back to press the rock against his hair. He took a deep breath before beginning to saw the rock back and forth.

It took longer than he expected, the pieces of hair parting slowly. Mikleo tried to hold back his impatience. He tightened his hold on the braid, tugging at it every once and a while to speed up the process. The mountain might have a milder winter than everywhere else but it was still cold. He would have to warm up a bit before beginning his trek.

The last few strands came apart under his sawing, Mikleo dropping the rock with a sigh. He pulled the braid around, staring at it. It was strange looking at the thing, a thick rope of his own brown hair.

He swallowed and scooted over towards where Sorey was still lying on the makeshift sledge. He snatched up one of the coat sleeves, tying a knot between it and the end of his braid before doing the same on the other side. Mikleo tugged the knots tight before stepping back.

He shook his head at the whole thing. It was a bit haphazard, but it worked for the moment. Mikleo sighed and went around to grab the top of the branch. He glanced back over at Sorey, shaking his head. It would have been easier if Sorey had tried to fly them up earlier. Many things would have been easier if they had been done differently.

Mikleo rolled his eyes and started pulling. There was a little resistance at first and then the sledge moved easily. Mikleo smiled to himself, indulging in the small victory before he allowed himself to look at the mountain. It loomed high above him, Mikleo searching for the nearest outcrop or building. Sorey had said that the ruin ran through the entire mountain, so it made sense there would be a lower entrance, especially if Sorey’s theory was right about the people using the ruin for shelter.

He groaned when he saw that the nearest one was higher up that he expected, Mikleo rolling his eyes towards the sky. He wanted to look back at Sorey, but that would slow down his pace and he didn’t want to do that. If the next available place to drop Sorey up was so far up, he didn’t want to slow down. If that happened it might take him all day to get there.

“It’s your fault, you know. If you were better at catching…” Mikleo sighed and shook his head. “I know half of it is my fault for falling off, but you could have at least told me that you could do…this. I wouldn’t have believed you, but I least I would have been prepared.”

All he got was a groan in response, which would probably be the only answer that he got for a while. It was better than nothing, but it also frustrating. It gave him none of the answers that he needed, like why there was a dragon and Sorey, why they were the same thing. It didn’t tell him how to get around the Aroundight Forest or a route to the border that he could cross. It didn’t tell them anything.

Mikleo muttered a curse under his breath, dropping his gaze to the ground so he could watch where he was going. He didn’t want to get Sorey caught on anything and then have to struggle to pull him off. That would take even more time, which meant more time on the mountain. Mikleo shivered at the idea.

The mountain wasn’t creepy or strange, and he had been in plenty of old buildings in Ladylake. He wasn’t afraid of ghosts or curses, at least beyond the very real curses that a seraphim could put on a place, but those were easily enough to find. There was almost a taste to them. The ruin didn’t feel like that, nor did the forest.

The thing that frightened him was the fact that Sorey might turn into a dragon. Sorey hadn’t felt like eating him before, but that might have been a fluke. Talking about history might have distracted him, or he might have been full. Now that he was hurt there was no telling what he might decide.

Mikleo swallowed, getting a better grip on the branch. If he considered that, his impulse to help Sorey seemed stupid. He was helping the thing that was going to eat him. The smartest thing to do would be to leave Sorey or just tip him down the mountain and hoped the fall worked the second time.

He shifted his hold on the branch, taking a few, deep breaths. It was a tempting idea, but he knew that he wouldn’t do it. It would be a horrible repayment for Sorey saving him when he hadn’t had to. Mikleo stopped and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the shake in his arms. He was doing the right thing, he was sure of it, except that it felt so wrong.

Mikleo turned to look back at Sorey, some part of him glad that Sorey hadn’t slid off. Everything was holding, even while he was hauling Sorey up the mountain. He looked back up at his goal, groaning when he saw the distance that was left. “You know what, I’m blaming all of this on you. What kind of dragon chooses to fall over flying? What kind of dragon steals someone from a wedding anyway? I would have thought you would have prefer something else, someone with more gifts. All of the good stuff was already across the lake.”

He shook his head, starting to move up the mountain again. Venting his frustration at Sorey helped some, but some part of Mikleo wished that Sorey would at least respond. It would make the trek a lot less lonely.

Mikleo kept walking, leaning forward to counteract the strain in his arm. The mountain path wasn’t too steep, and it didn’t look like it got bad until beyond where he had marked as his stopping point. Just how he would tackle that section he didn’t know, but he would figure it out when they got there.

He focused on the ground in front of him, only looking up when he hear a strange, metallic clanking. He lifted his head and looked around, surprised to see only rock. Mikleo turned to look back at Sorey, somewhat relieved to see that Sorey was still unconscious. He hadn’t thought that the dragon had any metal on him, and certainly not enough to clank like that.

Mikleo slowed down, looking around to try and see what had made that sound. There wasn’t much on the mountain that could make a sound like that, except for another person.

His heart sped up, Mikleo perking up. If there was another person on the mountain then there was a chance that they could help him. It might have been someone who had been lost in the Aroundight Forest, or someone who was coming through the mountains. Mikleo didn’t care either way. They could help him get back home.

He shifted his hold on the branch, taking a careful step forward. “Hello?” His voice echoed off the mountain, Mikleo hating how lonely and small it sounded. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Is anyone there?!”

The clank came again, this time from somewhere closer. Mikleo pivoted to face the direction of the sound, finding himself staring at a large boulder.

He tipped his head to the side, carefully setting the branch down. He didn’t look back to see it settle, his focus on the large rock. The clanking came again, this time in quick succession. He heard a grunt from over the rock, Mikleo suddenly realizing that he had nothing to defend himself with. He glanced around for a rock, his gaze landing on Sorey. A dragon would be useful, if it would attack the right thing. Mikleo frowned, turning back around in time to see a small creature clamber to the top of the boulder.

His eyes widened as he stared at it. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, even in the old records. It sort of looked like a bear cub, although it was smaller and seemed very comfortable with walking on its hind legs. On its head was the source of the clanking, an old helmet gilded in gold that was precariously perched on its head. The thing reached up to push it back, its eyes widening as it looked down at the two of them.

Its paw dropped away from its helmet, the creature squeaking. Mikleo took a step back, ready to take advantage of the creature’s surprise to put distance between the two of them. He wasn’t quite ready to abandon Sorey, but he wasn’t about to fight the creature with his bare hands. Who knew what kind of creatures thrived in close quarters with a dragon.

The creature squeaked again, Mikleo freezing when the sound turned into actual words. “Dweqcs Scobjuw?”

Sorey twitched, Mikleo looking back at him. Sorey opened one eye, but it didn’t look like he was reacting to something more than what the creature said.

Mikleo swallowed, trying to translate what the creature had said. It had sounded vaguely familiar, but he didn’t have much time to think about it before the creature jumped on him with a shriek.

Mikleo tried to backpedal, grunting as the creature slammed into his chest. The two of them fell to the ground, Mikleo frantically trying to shove the creature off even as it batted at him with its paws. Mikleo expected to feel the prick of claws, but it never came, the creature just seemed content to pummel his chest and scream at him.

“What did you do to him?! What did you do to Dweqcs Scobjuw?”

“Nothing!” Mikleo reached up to grab at the creature’s paws, holding them in one hand. That seemed to encourage the creature to try and knock its helmet into him. Mikleo stuck his hand out, catching the helmet against it. He pushed back against the creature, holding it at bay, although it was a close thing. It was stronger than its size suggested.

He gasped as the creature bounced on his chest, Mikleo returning with a hard shove of his own. “He stole me.”

That got the creature to stop. It sat back on his chest, clearly without the intention to get off. The creature looked him up and down before shaking his head. “No.”

“Then how else did I get here?”

“Dweqcs Scobjuw wouldn’t do that.”

“Do you think I just wandered up here for fun?”

The creature narrowed his eyes. “You could be a Shepherd.”

Mikleo rolled his eyes, bracing himself before shoving the creature off. It just bounced at it hit the ground, already scrambling to its feet. Mikleo pushed himself up, getting to his feet just in time for the creature to barrel into his shins. He yelped and hopped away, turning to look at the creature as it rushed over to Sorey. Mikleo narrowed his eyes, limping back over to Sorey as the creature jumped on Sorey’s back. “Hey!”

The creature didn’t pay him any attention. It leaned over Sorey, giving him a little shake. When that didn’t do anything, the creature planted its paws on Sorey’s back and breathed out.

Light bloomed at the end of the creature’s paws, the light pulsing as it spread over Sorey’s back. Sorey twitched slightly, his eyes opening abruptly. He planted his hands against the ground, trying to push himself up only to fail as he came up against the knots. Sorey made a panicked sound, pushing it back against the sleeves and braid holding him down.

Mikleo watched in horror before rolling over, holding out his hand. Sorey didn’t seem to see him moving, he was too busy trying to wiggle free. Mikleo looked at the way that Sorey’s injured wing was twitching about to move to hold him down when the creature started into motion.

It reached down to tug at the knot, the sleeve and the end of the braid just falling apart. It shouldn’t had come apart that easily, but Mikleo was sure that the creature hadn’t just untied it using normal methods.

Mikleo shook his head, watching as the creature tumbled off Sorey’s shoulder, sitting on the ground in front of him as Sorey panted for breath. The creature reached out to pet Sorey’s cheek, making a soothing noise. “You’re alright Messmu Meqcsbebq. Just take it easy.”

Sorey stared at the creature, shaking his head. “My wing…”

The creature frowned, leaning over to stare at Sorey’s side. It remained there for a moment before getting to its feet and walking over to Sorey’s right side. It stared at the wing before shaking its head. “The Shepherd has it tied up.”

“Shepherd?”

“I’m not a Shepherd.” Mikleo crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the creature.

Sorey looked over at him, Mikleo surprised by how worried Sorey looked. Sorey gave him a quick look over before sighing. “You’re alright.”

Mikleo nodded, feeling a blush rise over his cheeks. He wasn’t sure why though, and that bothered him. He dropped his gaze away, staring at the ground instead of at Sorey. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Sorey grunted, Mikleo refusing to look up at him. He could hear Sorey trying to move for a moment before there was a long sigh. Mikleo swallowed, fixing his gaze on a nearby rock until Sorey gave a self-deprecating chuckle. “Ouch.”

Mikleo looked up, watching as Sorey’s wing twitched against the binding. It must have been too much because Sorey bit his lip with a whimper. Sorey shifted in place before shaking his head. “I’m not going to make it up there.”

The creature sighed, slumping in his place by Sorey’s shoulder. Its silence didn’t last for long before it reached up to shove its helmet back. The creature looked up the mountain before shaking its head. “We’ll go in one of lower entrances.”

“But-”

“Don’t worry.” It reached out to pat Sorey’s cheek. “I’ll help with the wing.”

“I don’t think I can walk.”

The creature snorting, using its paw to gesture over at Mikleo. “The Shepherd can make it up to you.”

Mikleo bristled, not sure if it was the title or being dismissed to easily. He got to his feet, glaring down at the creature. “I’m not a Shepherd.”

“He’s really not.”

The creature didn’t look convinced. It huffed and waved its paw. “It doesn’t matter. He caused this, so he can fix it.”

Mikleo opened his mouth to protest, but he stopped himself. There was no way that he could argue against that, not when he was the reason that Sorey was hurt.

He swallowed and nodded, walking over to stand by Sorey. Sorey looked up at him, Mikleo watching as Sorey thought it over. He was expecting Sorey to refuse or try to argue his way out of it, but Sorey just sighed and braced himself.

It was painful to watch Sorey try to get to his feet. He kept stopping and panting for breath and nearly falling. Mikleo winced at a near fall, reaching down to haul him to his feet. He tucked himself up against Sorey’s side. Mikleo shot a glance at Sorey’s injured wing before looking away.

The creature was already walking away, not bothering to look back at them. Mikleo frowned and started walking, trying to ignore the way that Sorey was leaning against him. He could feel the tense way that Sorey held himself, but he wasn’t about to comment on it. He was more than happy to have Sorey staying away from him for as long as he could. It made moving easier, especially since the creature didn’t seem to be slowing down.

It was bouncing through the boulders without a pause, Mikleo trying to see what it was heading towards. There didn’t seem to be a real direction, which was frustrating. If he’d been allowed to continue going up the mountain he would have made it to the opening. He huffed and glared at the creature, watching as it bounced down from one rock, and then it disappeared.

Mikleo stopped short, staring at the place where the creature had disappeared. At first, he thought that it was another tumble of the natural rocks on the mountain, but a carving caught his attention. Mikleo sucked in a quick breath when he realized what he was staring at. Another winged representation of a seraph was cracked and sideways but, once he saw it, he could begin to make out the partially fallen shape of a doorway.

He took a slow step forward, fully intending just to study the doorway when Sorey stumbled. Mikleo cursed and went to steady him, panting for breath when he took Sorey’s full weight. It took a moment for the two of them to steady themselves, Mikleo watching Sorey carefully.

Sorey had gone pale, but he hadn’t made a noise, which meant that they hadn’t managed to make things worse. Mikleo shook his head, shifting his hold on Sorey. This time, Sorey sunk more heavily against him. Mikleo braced himself for the weight, taking a deep breath before focusing on the door.

His eyes went wide when he saw the creature standing there, one paw pushing his helmet back. The creature looked between the two before focusing on Sorey. “Dweqcs Scobjuw?”

Sorey smiled and gave a lazy wave. “I’m fine, Atakk.”

Atakk narrowed his eyes before turning around and walking back into the ruin. Mikleo sighed in relief, adjusting his hold on Sorey. He heard Sorey suck a quick breath, but there wasn’t any other signs that he was in pain. Mikleo took that as permission to keep going.

He stepped through the doorway, looking around at the hallway. He was almost disappointed by the bare walls. Then again, not every part of the ruin would be decorated. From the way that this part was built, Mikleo was sure that it was a late addition, and it looked like it had been done in a rush. It was still standing though, which was impressive. If anything, it proved Sorey’s theory, if it could still be called that. Mikleo didn’t think that it counted if Sorey had possibly lived long enough to see it happening. After all, he had no idea how long dragons lived.

Mikleo watched Sorey out of the corner of his eye, relieved that it seemed to be all that Sorey could do to keep moving. It meant that Sorey wouldn’t be looking at him or trying to talk to him.

Sorey looked very young, just around his own age. Without the wings, horns and tail, Mikleo would have never thought that he was anything different. For all he knew, Sorey might have lived for centuries and he would have never known. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it was fascinating or frightening.

He swallowed and turned his attention toward where Atakk was walking in front of them. The creature seemed content to keep its distance as it led them through the ruin. Mikleo tried to keep up with the twists and turns, but he found himself getting lost. The hallways had no distinct markings and they all seemed to generally just go up.

Mikleo quickly lost track of how long they were walking. He was only able to that it had been a while from the way that Sorey was starting to lean more into him. Mikleo took the weight, looking desperately up at Atakk, but the creature was still plowing ahead without looking like he was going to stop.

Mikleo huffed, shifting so that he was taking more of Sorey’s weight. At this rate, Atakk would have them walking all the way up to the main part of the ruin. Mikleo shook his head, staring up ahead of them. He was sure that he would have been able to make it on his own, but not when he was dragging a half conscious dragon.

He sighed, glaring up at Atakk only for the creature to stop. It turned down a hallway, Mikleo following after him slowly. The pace that Sorey forced him to keep gave him plenty of time to look around.

He didn’t think that they were quite at the top of the ruin yet, maybe towards the middle. It was hard to tell when they had been sticking to unmarked hallways. This one was the first one that actually looked distinct with the different doorways and the carvings done around each one.

Mikleo peered into the rooms as they went past, surprised to see furniture and crates piled into them. They didn’t have a layer of dirt over them, which meant that they were at least looked after. It reminded him of one of the old vault rooms in the palace where all the valuable artifacts were kept. Michael hated the arrangement, but there was no better way to protect them from the damp that pervaded all of Ladylake.

He eyed a tapestry hung on the wall until Atakk cleared its throat. Mikleo turned to look at the creature, rolling his eyes at the impatient motion that Atakk made. He adjusted his hold on Sorey and kept shuffling forward.

Atakk led him almost all the way down the hall before ducking into one of the rooms. Mikleo trailed after him, expecting to see another room like the others. Instead he found one that was almost clear. Crates were pushed back against the walls of the room, and the furniture was set up to make the space look livable. Still, it was surprisingly bare. The only signs that anyone lived in it was the candle, the pile of books on the table and the covers that were thrown over the bed.

Mikleo looked around the room as he practically dragged Sorey over to the bed. Sorey stirred long enough to brace himself against the edge of the bed, Mikleo helping him onto it. He hovered close to Sorey as Sorey crawled onto the bed before collapsing with a whimper. Mikleo flinched back at the sound, watching as Sorey settled down. He looked him over, staring at where his shirt was still tied around Sorey’s shoulder to hold the wing in place. He swallowed before carefully undoing the knot, trying to avoid touching the feathers.

He had to jump back as soon as the knot was undone, the wing spilling outward. Mikleo backed up quickly, catching himself on one of the crates.

Sorey didn’t seem to notice. He had propped himself up on his elbows and twisted around to try and look at his wing. He wasn’t have too much luck and he didn’t get to look for long before Atakk was clambering up onto the bed.

The creature huffed and patted Sorey’s cheek before jumping up onto Sorey’s back. Atakk made his way down to where the wing met Sorey’s shoulder. He reached down to brush the remains of the snow away with a paw. Sorey winced every time Atakk touched the joint, but that didn’t stop the creature.

Atakk peered at the wing before sitting down on Sorey’s back. “It could be worse, the snow helped, although it shouldn’t have been jammed back into place. But that’s better than rattling around.”

Sorey gave a grunt of acknowledgement as he sunk back down onto the bed. Atakk resettled himself on Sorey’s back before extending his paws, a soft gold light pulsing from them. Whatever the light was, it was a good thing because Sorey sighed and relaxed into the bed.

Mikleo watched the two of them, almost relieved that they seemed to have forgotten that he was there. It would be the perfect time to sneak away. He couldn’t risk getting too close to pick up his shirt, but there were bound to be plenty of other clothes he could grab on his way out, even if some part of him was shocked at the thought. The winter may be mild, but he was going to be stepping back out into the real winter to get to Ladylake. Of course, that depended on him being able to find his way out.

He stepped back into the hallway, staring down it. He felt his stomach twist and start to sink. He was sure that he couldn’t find his way back down to the way that they came in. Maybe he could work his way back up, but he didn’t know where he could go from there. He was just as trapped as before. Mikleo muttered a curse and ran his hand down his face, freezing when he heard Atakk clear its throat. Mikleo turned his head, sighing when he saw the creature looking at him.

Atakk nodded at him. “Don’t go anywhere, Shepherd.”

Mikleo tensed, about to speak up when Sorey opened his eye. Sorey looked over at him, a smile crossing his face. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you back home.”

Mikleo felt his heart race. He stepped back into the doorway of the room. “When?”

“When his wing is better and not a moment sooner.” Atakk glared at him before moving one paw to make an impatient motion. “Now go, and stay out of trouble.”

Mikleo glanced back at Sorey, not surprised to see that he had drifted off again. He shook his head and pushed away from the door.

At least the promise was something, even if it meant that he had to wait. Mikleo still didn’t trust Sorey not to decide to eat him, but at least he knew that he could outrun Sorey now.

He rolled his shoulders, glancing around the hallway before shaking his head. Atakk had told him to go, but not where. If he was going to be staying for a while then it meant that he would have to at least make himself somewhere to stay, and there were plenty of rooms.

Mikleo walked down to the next doorway, staring into the room. If he was going to be cleaning, he might as well explore. There were plenty of things in the ruin to catch his interest and keep him out of trouble. He’d had enough of falling for a long time.

He stepped into the room, looking around before walking over to the closest crate and opening it up.

* * *

Mikleo set his book down to one side, folding his arms across his stomach as he stared at the ceiling. The book was fascinating, a history of the two villages that had grown up around the two shrines on Mount Mabinogio. There had been a little bit on the small community that had become Kylfe which had been interesting, but there was only so long he could stare at the yellowed pages and translate the ancient tongue.

He reached up to drape an arm over his eyes with a sigh. He hadn’t heard anything from Sorey or Atakk, although the creature had passed him at one point. Mikleo had been ready for a lecture, then but the creature had ignored him. Mikleo had been more than content to let it pass. He had his promise of being returned, and that was enough for the moment. Sorey might have been a dragon, but everything he had done seemed to contradict everything that he had learned about them.

Mikleo sighed, lifting his arm slightly. It would have been easier if Sorey had been like one of those dragons because then he would have known what to do. Instead Sorey was being nice to him and seemed to care for him. It could all be a trick, but it seemed to be a lot of effort to make it a trick, especially with the way that Atakk was obviously hostile towards him. It was a confusing mess, something that Mikleo wasn’t sure that he could sort out.

He lifted his head as his stomach grumbled, Mikleo patting at it with a frown. It was easy to lose track of time in the ruin. The whole thing was lit with a soft light, although Mikleo didn’t know how. He rolled onto his side, pressing his hand against the wall. It felt like stone and it didn’t react to his touch. It left him as confused as before. Mikleo shook his head before sitting up.

It was obvious that he was going to have to look after himself. Sorey wouldn’t be up and about for a while and Atakk seemed to be all too ready to leave him alone. Mikleo sighed and got to his feet.

He wandered out into the hallway, looking down towards Sorey’s room. He swayed in place before walking down to peer into Sorey’s room. Part of him expected to see a dragon taking up most of the room, but Sorey was still there, looking almost like a human and everything like the old depictions of seraphim. He was sprawled out on the bed, sleeping soundly with his injured wing spread out.

Mikleo stared at the shining feathers on the wing, the silver standing out starkly against the dark blue that ran over the top part of his wing. The feathers looked soft, but Mikleo didn’t dare touch them. He’d had his fingers in them before and all he’d felt was fear.

He leaned against the doorway, wrapping his arms around himself. He hadn’t found a coat to replace the one that he’d left outside. The ruin was warm enough, but he wouldn’t be in the ruin forever. Mikleo rubbed his hands over his arms, pausing when his stomach grumbled. He looked down at it before turning away. His first priority had to be food, although where he would find something he didn’t know.

He stepped out into the hallway, freezing when he saw that Atakk was standing in the hallway. The creature had its arms crossed over its chest, its head tipped back so it could peer out from under its helmet.

Mikleo tensed, lifting his own chin up. “What?”

“What are you doing to Dweqcs Scobjuw?”

It took Mikleo a moment to realize who Atakk meant. He swallowed, fighting the urge to look back at Sorey. “I was just checking on him.”

“Why?” Atakk narrowed its eyes. “Are you waiting for a good time to kill him?”

“No.” Mikleo scoffed. “Why would I want to kill him? He’s the one who is going to take me home.”

“A likely story.” Atakk reached up to shove its helmet back. “I promised Majy ih Fuaruhom Nasuwk and Cu ih scu Kemduw Hmalu that I would look after their son. Miwj ih Meqcsbebq himself recommended me to them. I take my job seriously. I know what to look for to spot a Shepherd.”

Atakk spoke too quickly for Mikleo to parse out the names. He shook his head, giving up on trying to figure it out. “I don’t know who any of them are.”

“You should, or you’re being very disrespectful.”

Mikleo sighed, shaking his head. He didn’t know what to tell Atakk, mostly because he didn’t quite know what to do with it. The creature talked like he was from a different world, Mikleo not sure what to do with all of the ancient tongue that was scattered through its speech. He had thought that he was good with the ancient tongue, but that had been in books and carefully monitored conversation using familiar patterns. This was the ancient tongue living and in motion, and it confused him.

He winced when his stomach grumbled. He looked up at Atakk, watching as the creature tipped his head before sighing. “We don’t have food here.”

“Except for me.”

Atakk frowned, its whole body puffing up. “That’s disgusting.”

“Tell that to Sorey.”

That seemed to offend the creature more. Atakk took a step towards him. “If Dweqcs Scobjuw was awake…” The creature seemed to struggle for words for a moment before it took a step back. “You humans have forgotten everything.”

Atakk turned around and started walking off. Mikleo watched him, not sure if that was going to be the end of it. He felt a flash of anger before it cooled down, Mikleo regretting his choice. With how Atakk looked, the creature might just leave him to starve.

He took a step back, readying himself to start looking through the other rooms in the hall when he heard Atakk clear his throat. Mikleo looked up, surprised to see the creature waiting on the far end of the hallway.

Atakk tapped his paw against the floor, making an impatient motion. “Come on. Dweqcs Scobjuw will be hungry when he wakes up and you can apologize to him with food. Can you hunt?”

Mikleo stared at Atakk for a moment before nodding. Muse had taken him out a few times just to make sure that he would be able to survive. Michael had always talked about taking him out on expeditions, although that had never happened because of the tensions between Ladylake and Marlind. Even still, Muse had wanted to make sure that neither of them starved because Michael had a bad habit of overestimating his skills. It had been a while since the two of them had gotten the time to go out, but Mikleo was sure that he remembered the basics.

Atakk looked him over, Mikleo watching as the creature nodded. “I can manage something for you.”

“If it’s a bow, I can handle it.”

“There’s probably something. Follow me.”

Atakk scurried off before Mikleo had the time to say anything. He stared at the creature for a moment before breaking into a run.

He jogged after the creature, only able to follow from the patter of Atakk’s feet on the stone. Sometimes he got a glimpse of Atakk, but the creature was always in impossible places, like the next hallway over or running the opposite direction. Mikleo almost turned around when he saw that, but then Atakk was walking calmly from a hallway behind him.

Mikleo rounded on the creature only to get a coat thrown at him for his troubles. He fumbled the catch, Mikleo slowing down to stare at it.

The coat was obviously old, it was a style that he recognized from some of the old manuscripts that he studied. It was beautifully embroidered, Mikleo tracing over some of the gentle wave shapes and curves done in a light blue that was nearly white. It stood out against the white fur at the collar and sleeves and the teal of the rest of the coat. Mikleo stroked his fingers over the coat, tucking it over his arm instead of putting it on.

He looked up again, not surprised to see that Atakk hadn’t waited. Mikleo tipped his head, turning to the left as he followed the sound of Atakk’s footsteps.

Mikleo broke into a run again, rushing down the hallway as he tried to catch glimpses of where Atakk was heading. He saw a flash of gold to his right, Mikleo looking at where the creature was scurrying down another hallway. He slowed down just enough to make the turn, sucking in deep breaths so he was able to shout. “Hey! Slow down!”

Atakk paused to look at him before giving him a lazy wave. “Keep going this way. I’ll meet you at the top of the stairs.”

It was gone again before Mikleo could say anything. Mikleo stared at where Atakk had been before shaking his head. He slowed to a walk, taking his time to catch his breath. There was no need to rush if Atakk was going to meet him. It might even give him a chance to figure out how to navigate the ruin.

He glanced from side to side, relieved to see that the carvings were back. Mikleo breathed out slowly, studying them as he walked.

They were different from the other carvings he had seen. Those had been about the worship of the seraphim, these seemed to be about the worship of a dragon.

A carved dragon hovered about people with their hands raised in supplication and, in the next panel of carvings, it was perched on the offerings. The next panel over had one of the people cupping the dragon’s muzzle, their finery making them stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Mikleo shuddered at the sight, clutching the coat closer to him. It looked like the ancients had resorted to the same scheme to keep the dragons away, but none of them looked afraid. He stepped closer to the carving of the human touching the dragon, frowning at how happy they looked. It was something that he couldn’t believe, something more like propaganda to keep the people happy. He gave the carving one last look before walking away.

He meant to keep going when the next panel caught his attention. Mikleo tipped his head to the side, stepping closer to the wall to stare at it.

The same person from the previous panel was there, Mikleo recognized all of their finery, but the dragon was no longer there. Instead there was the old style representation of the seraphim. Before Mikleo would have waved it off as a stylistic choice but he couldn’t now, not when he had seen Sorey and the way he had become a dragon in a rush of silver flame. Mikleo swallowed and reached out to touch the seraph, running his fingers along the edge of a wing.

He had always thought that seraphim would look like people, but there was no rule that they had to. There was no rule that they had to be people at all. Even if the ancients had a stylized form, there was no reason that had had overly stylized their seraphim, which meant that seraphim had always looked that way. After all, there was no reason to doubt them, they were the ones who had seen the seraphim.

Mikleo rested his hand against the carving, staring up at the seraphim before he pulled away. He continued to move down the corridor, picking out all the instances of seraphim. Now that he had a working theory, they were everywhere. Every dragon was a seraph, and possibly the same seraph if the temple was dedicated to them. With what Sorey had told him, it was all for Lord Zenrus. Mikleo frowned, trying to remember what Sorey had called the seraph, along with some of the titles that Atakk had thrown at him, but they all slipped through his mind.

He sighed and dropped his hand away, turning to continue up the stairs. Mikleo glanced from side to side as he climbed, not really paying attention to the carvings, he was too busy sliding the new conclusions into place. It was a strange viewpoint from the world, and something that he almost didn’t believe himself. It seemed like something out of the more fantastic bestiaries that he had read. A magical creature that could be human or dragon. Mikleo shook his head, pulling his attention from the carvings to where Atakk was waiting for him.

The creature was tapping a paw impatiently, but Mikleo couldn’t focus on Atakk, not when it was holding a huge bow. Mikleo tipped his head to the side, looking at the ornately decorated bow. “Is that functional?”

Atakk shrugged and tossed it towards him, Mikleo reaching out to catch it before it could fall. He turned the bow, staring at the embellishments on it. It was nothing like the bow that Muse had taught him with, but it looked like it would work. He shrugged the bow awkwardly over his shoulder, not surprised to see Atakk rolling a quiver into place.

The creature motioned at it, Mikleo expecting him to leave. Instead, Atakk looked him up and down before turning around. “Follow me.”

“You’re coming too?”

“I’m not going to let you out of my sight. You might double back and try to kill Dweqcs Scobjuw.”

Mikleo shook his head and let the bow drop off his shoulder. He pulled the coat on before gathering the bow and quiver. The latter he slid over his shoulder. Mikleo turned his head to tug it into a comfortable position. He ran his fingers over the ornately stitched leather before looking back at Atakk. “Why do you keep calling him that?”

“Because it’s his name.” Atakk shrugged and started walking off before he could say anything else.

Mikleo grabbed at the bow to get a better grip, rushing after him. It didn’t take too much to catch up to it now that the creature moving at a reasonable pace and not bouncing around everywhere. It didn’t take too much to fall in beside him, Mikleo keeping up handily with Atakk.

He ran the words through his head, working through them before he shook his head. “His name is Bright Thunder?”

“Yes.”

“But you called him something else outside too.”

Atakk looked up at him, reaching back to grab onto his helmet. “That’s his name too.”

“He has two.”

“He one.” Atakk sighed and looked ahead again.

Mikleo stared at him, trying to puzzle that out before rolling his eyes. Nothing the creature was saying really made any sense. He glanced over at some of the carvings, looking over the careful block letters of the ancient tongue before shaking his head. “Then why do you call him two different things?”

“Names have power. So we seraphim don’t call each other by our names. We take titles, or we’re given them. Humans made a lot of them.”

“Like ‘Sorey’.” Mikleo looked away, looking ahead of him. He could see a partial circle of light up ahead, Mikleo focusing on that.

The naming at least made sense, because there were usually a host of titles that came before the name that they were known by. It made looking through the old records of the seraphim difficult, because the titles were different depending on the region. Mikleo was sure that he had run across Sorey’s titles and names before, and that he wouldn’t have recognized them back then.

Seraphim were mysterious, elemental creatures without any real form but in everything. Ladylake was full of them according to the shrinechurch, they kept the water clear and the city safe. Mikleo had no problem believing that, but the idea that they had bodies wasn’t that radical. The dragon thing was the strangest part, as what Atakk had said.

“We seraphim?”

Atakk paused in the doorway, giving him a long look. Mikleo stood under the look, surprised when Atakk just shook his head and skittered out through the door.

Mikleo hesitated for a moment before walking out after him. He squinted in the sunlight, holding a hand above his eyes. He peered out from beneath it, looking out at the mountain.

They were near the top of the mountain, Mikleo could see the rest of it continuing up to a set of gates at the top. He tipped his head to the side, trying to think of what kind of people would want to live so high above the ground. The only answer that his mind supplied was the ones with wings.

Mikleo swallowed at the thought. He could just imagine a group of seraphim living up there, probably just like everyone lived in Ladylake.

He took a breath of the thin air, turning around to look at where Atakk had brought him out. There were a lot of half standing walls and empty archways. The only one that seemed to lead anywhere was the one that they had come out of, but Mikleo was sure the others would have led into the temple. If there were places for the village below the peaks to get in then there would be one for the village at the top of the mountain. Every story about the seraphim from the Temperance of Avarost and further back always said that they cared for humans, just as humans cared for them. It sounded peaceful, better than waiting for the next city-state to decide to expand. It sounded like a world where he didn’t have to marry a man he didn’t know to get a Shepherd for Ladylake.

He turned to look for Atakk, surprised to see that the creature had stopped for him. Atakk had settled onto piece of wall, its face turned up to the wind. Atakk sighed and leaned back on his paws. It was the stillest he had seen Atakk in a while, and it was almost enough to make him want to walk off and start hunting. He didn’t know what he would find up here, but it had to be better than nothing. Still, he had questions, burning questions that he couldn’t just leave alone.

Mikleo walked over to where Atakk was lounging. “You said we?”

“Seraphim come in all shapes and sizes.” He paused for a moment before shaking his head. “But you’ve forgotten about us Normin too. That’s cruel.”

“Normin?” Mikleo looked Atakk up and down. He couldn’t remember the name from any of the old manuscripts, but he was quickly learning that it didn’t mean anything. He leaned his hip against the boulder, looking over the mountain. A couple of orange and cream birds darted around each other as they flew out of the cover of the forest. “What did people ask for you to do?”

“We weren’t called upon like the others. We were just around for the little things. There was practically one of us in every village.” Atakk sighed and dabbed at his eye. “Those were the days. Halcyon days full of worship and togetherness. Some of the best art came from those days.”

Mikleo laughed, regretting the sound when Atakk gave him a sharp look. Mikleo raised a shoulder in a shrug. “I think you’re a bit biased.”

Atakk glared at him for a moment longer before sighing. “I have been a bit sheltered.” He sighed and stroked at his helmet “We Normin have a new job now, we keep watch over our seraph brethren. It’s not a bad life, it’s just a bit same-y what with the Shepherds roaming around trying to kill us all.”

Atakk’s gaze flickered to him, Mikleo tensing. Just like that, the air of comradery was gone.

Mikleo shook his head, pushing away from the boulder. “How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not a Shepherd? I don’t want to kill Sorey. I didn’t even want to be here. He’s the one that you should be blaming for this.”

“How did he know where you were if you didn’t call him?”

Mikleo opened his mouth to respond, but he snapped it shut quickly. He didn’t have the answer to that because that still baffled him. It made no sense why Sorey would show up as a dragon at that moment. Nothing had been prepared for him, nothing had been readied for him.

Mikleo shook his head. “I’m not a Shepherd and I would leave if I could.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Atakk narrowed his eyes, the expression lingering for a moment before it waved behind him. “There should be plenty of things back there, goats and prickleboar. Just be sure to grab something for Messmu Meqcsbebq, he’ll be hungry.”

Mikleo tried to ignore the shiver that ran down his spine, his fingers tightening on the bow. He felt safe enough with it, although he was sure that he would have to get past Atakk first. If Normin were seraphim then they had all of the powers, which meant that he wouldn’t get far if he did anything to Sorey. He didn’t want to do anything to Sorey, it was the dragon.

The problem was, that they were the same and he couldn’t quite figure out how to process it.

He took a deep breath, turning on his heel. That would come later, when he wasn’t under the gaze of a suspicious Normin and when he wasn’t hungry.

He hefted the bow, giving Atakk a short nod before walking off into the forest.

* * *

The fire crackled merrily under the prickleboar, Mikleo watching the flames dance. They were still dull compared to the glow of the ruin itself. Mikleo could see a few spots that looked like they would be sconces, except that they didn’t burn, they just glowed. It was just a show of what a combination of seraphic artes and human building could do. It was beautiful.

Mikleo twisted around to run his hand down the wall, watching as the glow followed his hand. Mikleo chuckled and gave the wall a fond pat.

He drew his knees up to his chest, looking over the glow of the wall before turning his gaze back towards the prickleboar. He reached out to nudge the spit, closing his fingers around it. He rubbed his thumb over the carvings there, tracing out the letters of the ancient tongue that asked for the food to be blessed and nutritious. It was a very human thing to do, and a beautiful piece of work. Mikleo had found it under Atakk’s direction, along with many other things.

Mikleo rested his chin on his knees, looking at the room that he had staked out as his own. He had made it comfortable while Atakk had butchered the prickleboar. There were blankets on his bed and a pile of clothing that he could use for however long it took for Sorey’s wing to heal. It was all old fashioned, something that he would have expected to see in the trunks in the archives. Mikleo smiled and reached out to pet his sleeve. The fabric was silkier than he expected, and more highly decorated. Mikleo traced out a pattern of light blue swirls around the end of the sleeve. He tipped his head to the side until it was resting on his shoulder, relaxing slightly.

Movement caught his attention, Mikleo looking up and expecting to see Atakk. The Normin had been moving up and down the hallway, either checking on Sorey or doing housekeeping somewhere else. The bow had gone with him as well, Mikleo mourning the loss of it. It had been a beautiful bow, far easier to draw than he had expected. And there had been some carvings on it that he had wanted to read. It was a shame, but he understood the impulse now.

His fingers twitched for the bow as he watched Sorey stumble out of his room. Mikleo watched Sorey carefully, watching as he came around to the other side of the fire. Sorey stared blearily at the fire and the boar roasting over it, Mikleo tensing when Sorey looked at him.

He tried to meet Sorey’s gaze, but his attention kept flicking to the wing that Sorey partially dragged on the floor. His silver feathers looked almost luminous in the firelight, but it just made Mikleo want to shrink back. The horns and the tail were easy enough to ignore because they were hidden behind Sorey and in the shadows, but the wings were too big to hide. Mikleo dropped his gaze to Sorey’s tail, watching as it curled slightly. Then it was gone, whisking behind him at the same time that Sorey tucked one wing back. The injured one twitched but Sorey didn’t move it from where it was resting slightly open.

Sorey hovered on the other side of the fire, swaying in place before he sat down. He hunched himself down, Mikleo taking a moment to stare at him before he realized that Sorey was trying to make himself look smaller. Mikleo sat up slightly, watching as Sorey retreated further.

Sorey looked him up and down before nodding. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Mikleo made an unsure sound, surprised when Sorey shook his head. “I’m not going to become a dragon either. I promise.”

Mikleo looked him up and down before sitting up completely. “Will you swear on that?”

Sorey stared at him with wide eyes, Mikleo expecting him to refuse. Instead, he gave a quick nod, leaning forward slightly. “I swear on my true name that I will not hurt you and I will not be a dragon in your presence.”

Mikleo waited for a moment, tipping his head to the side when Sorey fell silent. He plucked at his sleeve before clearing his throat. “And that is?”

He didn’t expect the look of panic that crossed Sorey’s face. Sorey flinched back, Mikleo seeing the twitch of his wings as he drew into himself. Sorey stared into the fire, his fingers twitching. “I can’t.” He sounded horrified by his own admission, but he kept going. “Names have power, and you’ll be leaving…”

Mikleo leaned forward, watching Sorey carefully. He was shifting in place, Sorey’s fingers plucking at the fabric of his pants. It took him a moment to realize that Sorey was scared.

Sorey wouldn’t meet his gaze, he just looked between the roasting prickleboar and the ground. He shifted in place before leaning forward, Mikleo automatically flinching back before he could stop himself. He blushed in embarrassment when he realized that Sorey was just turning the spit.

The squeak of the spit was the only sound for a while. The only warning that Mikleo got was when the spit stopped. He swallowed, bracing himself as he heard Sorey take a deep breath. “Why are you so scared of dragons?”

Mikleo looked up at Sorey, feeling pinned in place as Sorey watched him. Sorey was human now, or at least in the right shape, but that didn’t help anything. The revelation of what seraphim really were weighed heavily on him, Mikleo curling his fingers into the fabric of his shirt to hide their shake. “Why? You stole me away from my own wedding.” Sorey flinched at that, his gaze dropping away, but that wasn’t enough to stop Mikleo. “I thought that you were going to eat me and I’d never see any of my family again.”

“I’m sorry…about your wedding.”

Mikleo sucked in a quick breath, his first impulse to wave it off. It wasn’t like it mattered, but he couldn’t allow himself to think like that. Malfore was important and he was the one who tied the Shepherd to Ladylake. He had to get used to the thought. Maybe being stuck with Sorey would be an unexpected boon, because it would give him extra time to come to terms with the idea. If not that, then maybe he could figure out how to pretend how to be happy.

He smoothed his fingers over his arm, using the motion to calm himself down. He didn’t trust himself to look directly at Sorey, instead watching him out of the corner of his eye. “Why did you do it?”

“I thought…” Sorey trailed off with a long sigh. Mikleo watched a self-deprecating smile spread across his face. “It’s a long story.”

Mikleo shrugged. “I have time. I’m stuck here until you take me over the Aroundight Forest.”

Sorey jerked his head up, looking at him in confusion. “But you’re getting married.”

“And?”

“You should be able to find your way out. Gramps made sure of it.”

Mikleo shifted in place, not wanting to respond to the question. He knew how the forest worked from his own experience and the stories that he had been told. It would draw anyone in and make them wander, but there was an easy way to cut through, as long as someone loved you was on one side or the other. Mikleo had no idea why it didn’t work for his mother and uncle, but maybe that was a seraphic thing. All he knew was that there wasn’t a bright beacon showing him the way home. Mikleo hadn’t seen it when he was down by the forest, nor had he seen it when he was on the top of the mountain. No matter how much he tried to trick himself into believing it, there was no way that he could expect a beacon for Malfore. He was stuck until Malfore made his way to him or Sorey took him back. Mikleo was completely willing to believe that Sorey would take him down before Malfore got to him.

He shook his head, changing the subject. “Why?”

“That’s…”

“Another long story?” He gave Sorey a crooked smile. He expected Sorey to sigh or make some excuse, what he wasn’t prepared for was Sorey to laugh. Mikleo perked up, shifting into a more comfortable position. “Tell me, please.”

Sorey hesitated, the soft shush of his tail moving across the floor drawing Mikleo’s attention. He watched as Sorey curled his tail around himself, the seraph reaching down to play with the feathers on it. He combed his fingers through the feathers, shaking off a bit of excess fluff. Mikleo turned to watch the bit of fluff roll away, the feathers flashing silver in the light. He turned to look back at Sorey, watching as he worked his way along the edge of his injured wing, Sorey’s fingers combing through the dark blue feathers.

Mikleo turned his attention back to the prickleboar, leaning forward to look at it. From what he could see it was nearly done. Mikleo sighed and nudged the spit over, letting his fingers linger there. He rubbed his fingers along the carving, taking a deep breath. “We’re afraid of dragons because they threatened us. For years we were paying them in presents and then people. No matter how much we prayed to the seraphim for deliverance, they never went away. Not until the first Shepherd, and not until we learned that all the dragons were dead. Even then we couldn’t get away from them, they were everywhere. In statues, in art…I used to have nightmares about them as a kid.”

There was a twitch and a ripple of silver feathers. Mikleo looked away from the spit, watching Sorey. The seraph was still, Mikleo swallowed at the flicker of fire over Sorey’s bare torso. He looked like something out of those pieces of art, and Mikleo wasn’t sure how to react. It was something out of his dreams, but Sorey was also a dragon and he couldn’t quite get those two ideas to exist together. Carvings and realization was one thing, but that wasn’t living with it.

Sorey let go of his wing, leaning back onto his hands. “It was like that at the start too.” Sorey shook his head. “Not the fear or the hope that they would go away, but in the hopes that they would stay.”

Sorey sighed and shook his head. “It’s probably better to start at the beginning. Gramps always told me that the seraphim came down from the heavens when they saw how the humans were struggling. They had always been prayed to, but they had always been at a distance. So a few decided to come down and help more directly.” Sorey paused to smile at him. “I’m sure you know most of that.”

Mikleo nodded. “They came down and built cities with the humans, giving their power in return for worship.”

“Not quite.” Sorey winced, his fingers tapping against the floor. “Worship and prayers helped but that was not the deal we struck, nor was the gifts. Mother always called it the curse, although I don’t think she was ever mad about it. If it hadn’t been there then she would have never met my father. But…when the seraphim left our old home we had to adjust. Usually seraphim were just…created out of the elements but it didn’t work that way when we came down. We adjusted to become something more like humans so they wouldn’t be afraid of us, but that meant that we had to alter things because we couldn’t just be human, it didn’t work out that way. We couldn’t just drop our original form, it would be like giving up a limb. So we took the compromise. We would be able to be both forms, but we would need human help to continue on. Seraphim may live for millennia, but that wasn’t any reason not to plan ahead. So we started taking human mates. There would be a ceremony where the seraph was called down by the human and they would go off together.”

Mikleo’s eyes widened as he stared at Sorey. He wasn’t sure if he was more nervous that the seraph wouldn’t look at him or relieved that Sorey didn’t. What Sorey said put everything into a new light. Names had power, and they had used Sorey’s somewhere in the song of protection. Or maybe it wasn’t a song for protection at all. Mikleo frowned as he worked through what he remembered of the song. He couldn’t manage much, everything about the ceremony was lost in a blur of fear. The fact that he hadn’t heard the song before the ceremony was also a problem. He vague remembered something about the presentation of a bride and calling down something, but the rest escaped him.

He tightened his hold on his knees, meeting Sorey’s gaze. “What happened to them?”

“We took care of them.” Sorey mirrored Mikleo’s position, Sorey having to nudge his wing out of the way. It twitched like he wanted to move it. Instead, he reached back to push it further behind him. The wing didn’t go too far, and it was hard to hide it with the shine on the feathers.

Mikleo tipped his head, trying to see it as a bird wing or the feathers that were sometimes used in decoration. Except that he had never seen anything so vibrant. That and he couldn’t forget the dragon that Sorey could become.

He dragged his gaze up the wing to look at Sorey, catching the edge of some strange expression. It was gone too quickly for him to really figure it out.

Sorey tugged his knees closer to him, but his gaze still lingered on Mikleo. “They became part of our families. That’s how towns grew up, around a dragon and their mate. I guess it was more peaceful that way, because it stayed like for that centuries.”

“What made it stop?”

Sorey raised one shoulder in a shrug. “Many things. I wasn’t around, so I only know what I was told. It was the government, or the country became too big to handle, or there were bad harvests that couldn’t be repaired, or the world started shifting. Or it was all of them. Seraphim were there to help, but they couldn’t always produce miracles and they didn’t interfere with government. Gramps told me that the seraphim had started to go to sleep because they sure that things were safe.”

“Apparently they weren’t.”

Sorey shook his head. “No. The kingdom fell apart and the earth started shifting. A few seraphim woke up to try and do what they could, but that seemed to make it worse. So they gathered the humans that they could and herded the others down to stay with the seraphim who were sleeping. The rest they promised to come back for once they established the others safely. I don’t know where they went, but Gramps always said that he felt bad because it took so long. He and mother went to some of the islands, although they could never stay for long because they were disappearing too.

“Gramps knew a seraph who took their family to the Far Continent to keep them safe. But it wasn’t enough, everything fell apart. The seraphim that were asleep stayed that way and the rest of them took too long getting back. By then, things had gotten so bad and people had forgotten them. By then, most of them had forgotten that the seraphim had two forms, but the seraphim stayed close. It didn’t help at all, because the humans got frightened. They started leaving things out for seraphim to try to appease them. Most of the seraphim left because they had families elsewhere and some were still asleep. The rest just agreed to watch, but that was hard. The humans hadn’t forgotten the prayers, which meant that the seraphim kept being called back.”

“There’s power in a name.”

Sorey nodded, the seraph looking sheepish. “If they call us, we’ll come. Sometimes they get lucky, because it was too far for us to cover and we would come back to ourselves before we could get there. And other times, we took them because…” Sorey hesitated for a moment, looking sheepish. “We grew up with stories about how things were. Some of the older seraphim are confused about what happened, but they still have their families, and they’re growing. Most of the seraphim born after the kingdom fell don’t get that, not unless someone was put out for them.”

Mikleo frowned, studying Sorey. From the way that the seraph was talking it sounded like Sorey was one of those seraphim, which was worrying. He curled his fingers into the fabric of his pants, trying to keep his voice level as he spoke. “Why don’t you just take them back? None of them want to be there, so why don’t you take them to where they want to be.”

“We can’t.”

“Or you won’t.”

“No, we really can’t.” Sorey met his gaze, a serious expression on his face. “A few tried early on, because we aren’t in the habit of kidnapping people. But it never went well. The people thought that they were tainted in some way, or leading the dragon back to them. It wasn’t safe to take them home. My mother did once, and the people of the village stoned them on sight.”

Mikleo jerked back, just barely keeping himself from kicking out. He stared at Sorey with wide eyes, his heart pounding.

He had never considered what would happen to him once he came back, because he would have been gone for a long while. He couldn’t imagine his family or Alisha attacking him, but the rest of Ladylake might. It had been two thousand years since the last dragon sighting, and that was enough to scare anyone. If Malfore was still around, then they might be more stable, but even that didn’t mean that he would get there safely.

He must have made some kind of noise because Sorey leaned forward, the shush of his feathers attracting Mikleo’s attention. Sorey reached out to him, not crossing the border of the fire. “No, I’m not going to let that happen. We’ll give you back your clothes and I’ll drop you far enough off at the city that they can’t see you. We can even scratch them up to make it look like you’ve escaped. Use the Aroundight Forest as an excuse as you want.”

“Will that be believable enough?” Mikleo tried to ignore how his voice shook. “It seems too lucky that I managed to wander out.”

Sorey winced. “Sorry.”

Mikleo waved a hand. “What do you have to be sorry about?”

“The Aroundight Forest is kind of my fault. Gramps set it up years ago to keep Shepherds from coming to find us or the humans from killing the ones we kept with us.”

“Your Gramps?”

Sorey nodded. “Lord Zenrus. He laid the arte over the forest to protect us from Shepherds on that side, and so the people who wanted to come back to us could get through and remain safe.”

Mikleo frowned, trying to make sense of it all. Everything that Sorey told him went against everything he had learned. He glanced around the hallway they were in, looking at all the carvings above the doors. He didn’t find any answers there, not that he expected any. After all, he hadn’t seen the scattered bones of humans or the bones of the ancient dragon that the Shepherd had slain. The ruin was big enough that it could have just been luck that he hadn’t run across any of that, but Mikleo felt like he wouldn’t find them.

He drummed his fingers nervously on his leg. Mikleo was sure that Sorey saw the motion, and that he couldn’t just wave it away. He swallowed, trying to get the words of the familiar story out. Before he wouldn’t have had any problem, but it was hard in the face of the information that Sorey had given to him. There was still a chance that it could all be lies, but Mikleo wasn’t too sure where to draw the line anymore.

Mikleo reached back to comb a hand through his hair, surprised at how short it was. He was used to his longer hair, and not the jagged edge he had cut into it. Mikleo played with the ends, trying not to look too hard at Sorey. “I was told that the first Shepherd came here to find his lover. He killed a dragon here.”

Sorey looked taken aback, his good wing fluttering nervously. He looked around before shaking his head. “I…I don’t think that ever happened. I haven’t found any bones and…I’ve been the only dragon out here.”

“For two thousand years?”

“Yes.” Sorey gestured at the ruin. “This was a shrine to my grandfather and I just…took it over. It needed looking after.”

Mikleo glanced around the ruin, trying not to raise an eyebrow at the state of the place. He got the feeling that Sorey didn’t only mean the ruin. It wouldn’t be too much of a hassle for a seraphim to fix the place up, especially with the power of flight and his artes. That didn’t leave much left for him to look after, there were only ruins and the village down at the base of the mountain.

He tensed at the thought, turning his head to look over his shoulder like he would be able to see the village. He ended up staring at the wall, not that Mikleo really saw it. He was thinking about the neatly thatched roofs that they had flown over. He couldn’t quite remember if he had seen any smoke coming from them, but he had been busy paying attention to other things.

Mikleo swallowed, turning to look back at Sorey. “Who lives in the village?”

“A few families that my father looks after, but it’s tradition in a way for the seraph who stays in the older shrine to cover this area.” Sorey hesitated, his mouth working over a few words that Mikleo assumed were titles before he seemed to hit on the one that he was looking for. “Maotelus mostly focuses on extending his reach out in the other direction. A few more of his people live out that way.”

Mikleo frowned, trying to remember the lay out of the maps that he had seen of the region. Along the border of what had once been Hyland and Rolance was a long string of mountains. He’d never heard of anyone living there, but he didn’t think anyone would stray too far away from their city-state’s base of power. No one would go looking for them in the first place. After all, Mikleo couldn’t remember many stories about people looking for those who had been stolen away by dragons.

His stomach twisted, Mikleo struggling and failing to ignore it. He could still see his mother and uncle standing in the lake, Muse reaching up for him. He curled his fingers towards his palm, swallowing hard. “W-what about you?”

To his surprise, Sorey blushed bright red and looked away. Mikleo turned his head, watching as the feathers on Sorey’s wings and tail fluffed up. “I...I haven’t really done any of that…not until you. And that was an accident.”

For a moment, Mikleo was sure that Sorey apologize, but the seraph just shook his head and looked away. “I promised them that I would keep a domain over this place, to make sure all of them are safe.”

Mikleo remembered the thin layer of snow and the mild weather outside. It was the perfect kind of winter, especially for people living rough in the mountains. It was something that any city would want, and all it took was a seraph. Then again, that made sense. All the manuscripts they had about the ancient kingdom seemed nearly impossible. Their harvest yields were too great and without any damage to the fields. It was something that they had all considered an exaggeration by the authors, but that was before he had known what a seraph could do. If the old kingdoms had such mild winters, then everything made sense.

He took a deep breath, pressing on before he lost the thought. “It sounds like things were better when the seraphim were around.”

Sorey opened his mouth to respond, but he didn’t get the chance. Atakk rushed out from down the corridor, lunging for the spit.

Mikleo recoiled from the Normin, watching in a mix of awe and horror as he lifted the roasting hunk of meat away from the fire. Atakk wobbled before steadying himself, the Normin shuffling to where all his equipment had been laid out.

Atakk set the meat down onto a platter, not seeming to care about the age of it. He seemed to be too busy cutting into the haunch and starting to divide it up. He muttered to himself as he worked, throwing the two of them quick glances. “That’s what I get for trusting a human to watch over our food. Everyone knows they have weird tastes. And what are you doing out of bed?”

Sorey muttered something that could have been an answer, but it didn’t seem to matter to Attack because the Normin kept talking. “If your mother saw this…or your grandfather, they would never forgive me. How could I face up to the other Normins if I fail in my duty? How can I face Lady Lailah again?”

“Atakk…”

“What if your wing gets worse?” Atakk gestured at him before setting a plate down on the floor. He started to pile meat and a few vegetables and dried fruit onto it. Mikleo wondered how where the Normin had gotten them, his interest disappearing when Atakk motioned at him. “We’ll be stuck with his human for longer.”

“Hey.”

Atakk gave him a serious look. “It’s nothing against you, but humans could cause trouble. You’re all a mess down there and we don’t need that up here. We don’t need any of your Shepherds murdering us in our sleep either.”

Mikleo bristled, sucking in a quick breath to argue, but there was no point in trying. He slumped, picking at the fabric at his knee. If his family was looking for him, they would bring Malfore. That would make it a very real chance that Malfore would kill Sorey in his sleep. Atakk looked harmless enough, but a Shepherd couldn’t ignore a dragon.

He glanced over at Sorey, expecting to feel a rush of relief, because an end to the dragon meant that Ladylake was safe. Instead, there was nothing.

He swallowed and looked down at his knees. It was hard to want to kill Sorey, especially when he looked so human. It was hard to want to kill Sorey when he owed the dragon his life.

Mikleo smoothed a hand over the folds in his pants. He could feel Sorey’s gaze on him, but he didn’t want to look up and meet it. Seraphim were powerful beings, and there was always a chance that Sorey would be able to just read his mind. Then again, Sorey had never attempted it before.

He risked a glance up, catching another one of those fond looks. He didn’t quite know what to make of them, and he never got too long to study it.

Sorey stood up, turning away from him to walk over to where Atakk was carving up the prickleboar. Mikleo turned to watch him go, his stomach twisting as the fire played over his silver feathers and his skin. He swallowed hard, feeling his throat go dry. He jerked his gaze away before Sorey could notice, trying to ignore the fluttering in his stomach.

It was just nerves, or at least part of it was. The sight of the seraph always make him nervous because he couldn’t tell when Sorey would become a dragon. He didn’t quite trust Sorey enough not to eat him outright. Then again, that was starting to fade. Now it was just that he didn’t know how to take Sorey. He was a dragon, but he wasn’t acting the way that he had been told dragons acted. And he was a seraph, something that Mikleo had spent his whole life studying and worshipping. But nothing was the way that it should have been.

He jumped when a plate was placed in front of him, Mikleo looking up to meet Sorey’s gaze. His breath caught in his throat, Mikleo finding himself leaning closer to Sorey even as the seraph leaned in. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the seraph’s wing twitch, but that didn’t sent him skittering back like it would have. He still didn’t want to reach out and touch the feathers, but that was better than nothing.

Mikleo swallowed, relieved when Sorey retreated back to his side of the fire. He looked down at his plate, sneaking glances over at the seraph. None of them helped him figure out what was going on, but Mikleo counted it as a victory because he could look at Sorey without the initial rush of fear. It was progress, but that wasn’t what bugged him, that was something still out of his reach. Mikleo frowned and looked down at the plate of food, poking at it.

“Mikleo?”

He jerked his gaze up at Sorey’s question, his throat going dry. Sorey tipped his head to the side, his tail curling closer to him. Sorey looked him up and down. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Mikleo picked up a slice of meat in his fingers, wincing at the temperature. He didn’t let that stop him, Mikleo leaning over to take a bite.

That seemed enough to please Sorey. The seraph went back to his meal, not seeming to notice the glances that Mikleo kept throwing at him. Even if he didn’t notice, Atakk clearly did. Mikleo shifted as the Normin gave him a long look, Atakk moving over to sit by Sorey. The seraph made room for him, which Atakk took advantage of. The Normin inched closer, Mikleo getting the message loud and clear.

He looked back down at his place, trying to focus on his food rather than where Sorey was sitting right across the fire from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ancient Tongue translations:  
> Messmu Meqcsbebq - Little Lightning (Sorey’s title)  
> Dweqcs Scobjuw - Bright Thunder (Sorey’s title)  
> Miwj ih Meqcsbebq -Lord of Lightning (Zenrus’ title)  
> Cu ih scu Kemduw Hmalu - He of the Silver Flame (Maotelus’ title)  
> Majy ih Fuaruhom Nasuwk - Lady of Peaceful Waters (Selene’s title)


	3. Chapter 3

“Come not between the dragon and his wrath.”  
- _King Lear_ , Shakespeare

* * *

 

Alisha paced around the edges of her bedroom, following the pattern of the rug on the floor. It meant that she didn’t have to concentrate on where she was going, not that it was too much of a hassle in the first place. She had paced out this route many times before. Being a princess meant a lot of hard decisions and she always thought better in motion. Before all of her time had been eaten up by the small minutia of ruling Ladylake, she had done her thinking while sparring with the Blue Valkyries. Now she was lucky if she got to practice once a week.

She turned around the edge of her desk, starting to make her way back towards where her bed was. The stripe of carpet led her to her bookshelf. She would have to avoid it, but she could follow another stripe of blue in the carpet once she got there. That would mean she was on her tenth circle of the room with no better idea of what to do.

Her fingers twitched against her leg, Alisha biting her lip. The Blue Valkyries were still deployed around the edges of the city and making short patrols out into Ladylake territory. She had told them not to go too far out, just in case Marlind patrols were moving, but she doubted that they listened to her. She doubted that even Maltran had listened, not that she could blame any of them. There was a dragon out there and, in the face of that, Marlind seemed like a small problem. So far there had been nothing, which should have been reassuring. Instead, it made her more worried.

The dragon had just appeared out of nowhere, so it almost made sense that it would disappear as mysteriously. The problem was that it didn’t allow her to predict what the dragon would do next. It would be smart to start up the old precautions, although the very idea made her shiver. She could justify leaving out gifts regularly, but never humans. Alisha shuddered, speeding up until she reached the windows on the other side of the room.

She pulled the curtains open, staring out over the city. She couldn’t see much in Ladylake itself, but there were a few sparks from the guard fires further out. It made the whole city look small, vulnerable and open. Alisha rubbed at her arms, looking around the city.

Alisha sighed and leaned her forehead against the window, wincing at the chill. She would have to beg the historians and librarians to look harder for anything else they could do to get rid of the dragon. Giving it people was unacceptable, and giving gifts could only go so far. Alisha was sure that Ladylake would eventually start to falter if they had to take care of both the dragon and Marlind, it would be like fighting a war on both fronts.

She closed her eyes, swallowing back a whimper. There were many different ways she could see the situation going, but she couldn’t see any way that it would end up in their favor. Either the dragon would demand more than they could give, or Marlind would take advantage of their weakening defenses. Ladylake would fall under her rule, but that wasn’t the thing that worried her. It was what would happen to the people. There was every chance that they would scatter into other villages, or they would disappear into the forest. Both options would save them, but it would also leave them vulnerable to the dragon.

Alisha curled in on herself, not paying attention to the sounds of someone shuffling around on the bed behind her. There had to be a solution to the problem somewhere, she just had to think harder. But it was hard to in the tangle of worry.

Malfore and the others had left two days ago now. She wasn’t surprised that she hadn’t heard anything from them, Malfore would hardly send a Squire back when he might need them at any minute. Alisha didn’t expect either Michael or Muse to come running back to send her updates, they would be too focused on getting Mikleo back. She couldn’t blame them, she wanted him back too.

It was nice to have someone her age in the palace, someone that would actually talk to her like she wasn’t just the princess. Mikleo had been around long enough that the awe had worn off. Alisha was sure that there had been a point in time when Mikleo hadn’t been around, but she couldn’t remember it. He had always been somewhere close, either in the shrinechurch with his mother or tagging along at Michael’s heels. With her knights, she had more people her age around her, but it wasn’t the same. All of the knights were bound by their oaths and decorum, which made things difficult.

“Alisha?”

She jumped at the sound of her name, turning her head to look back into her room. Rose was sitting up in the bed, looking miserable huddled under the blankets. Rose pulled them blankets closer to her, wiggling one arm free to pet the fur that rested on top of all of them. “You’re letting it get cold.”

“Sorry.” Alisha pushed away from the window, making her way back to the bed. She paused at the end, plucking at the robe that she had pulled on before leaving it on. Rose was right, it was getting cold in the room, she hadn’t really noticed since she was in constant motion.

Alisha slipped under the covers, surprised that Rose stayed partially upright. The woman seemed to be entranced by the fur, her hand moving constantly over it. Alisha was sure it was because Rose was tired.

She had been surprised when Rose and a contingent of Sparrowfeathers had rolled into Ladylake towards the end of the day. She had thought that they would be gone for longer, especially since they had only been in Ladylake the month before to drop off some of the things for Mikleo’s wedding.

Alisha shivered at the reminder, pressing her face against her pillow. That seemed to attract Rose’s attention because the mattress sagged a little as Rose moved. Alisha didn’t bother to look up until Rose had practically flopped across her.

Rose groaned, reaching over to tug the blankets more closely around them. “You’re freezing. What were you doing out there?”

“Thinking.”

Rose was quiet for a moment before she sighed. Rose slipped from her back, Alisha turning with her. The room was dim enough that she could see the shape of Rose, but it took her wiggling closer to actually see Rose’s expression.

Rose immediately reached out to grab her hands, gently cupping them in her own. Alisha smiled as Rose breathed over them before rubbing them. That seemed to be the only thing holding her back. Rose closed her fingers around Alisha’s hands before settling down to look at her. “I didn’t do a good job at distracting you then.”

Alisha laughed and shook her head. “You did fine. I just can’t stop thinking about it. It’s important.”

“I guess a dragon will do that.” Rose sighed and wiggled deeper under the covers. “But it helps to talk to someone. So talk.”

Alisha smiled at Rose’s bluntness. It was refreshing after having to deal with people who would just agree with her and then immediately do the opposite of what she had asked. Rose listened and gave her opinions. It was a refreshing view from outside of Ladylake. With all the traveling that Rose did, she was sometimes more informed than any of the councilors that she kept around. Rose was the reason she had heard about Malfore in the first place.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, relaxing into the pocket of warmth that they had made for themselves. “It’s the dragon and everything else.”

“Helpful.”

Alisha shoved her hands forward to make Rose roll slightly. She saw the flash of a smile before Rose settled back into place. “You’re not.”

“I’m sorry. Continue, your highness.”

Alisha scooted closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I’m worried about Mikleo. I’m sure that they will try their best to save him, but what if it’s too late? What if he’s been dead for days by the time they get there?”

“Then we do right by him.” Rose leaned forward so they could rest their foreheads against each other. “And I’ll be here for that.”

“Thank you.” Alisha sighed out the words, closing her eyes. She took the moment to take a few deep breaths before continuing on. “We need the Shepherd, Rose. We need Malfore and his family to keep Ladylake safe. Marlind took out Kylfe, and we’re the only large city left. We’re next and the people are terrified. The Fortons have the influence and the ear of the princes of Pendrago.”

Rose hummed. “If you have the princes, then you probably have the rest of Roalnce. Marlind would have to be careful. And the Fortons would love to have a foothold in Hyland. And they accepted Mikleo?”

Alisha nodded slowly. “I’m not quite sure how that happened.”

“The Fortons do put an emphasis on the church, and his mother will probably be the next cardinal. That’s plenty of influence for them.”

Alisha tried not to wince at the assessment. It was nothing more than what she had figured out during the opening negotiations. Everyone had known it, even Muse. That they did was a relief because the Fortons were a known. Even if the family tried to wrangle their way into more power it would be in a predictable way. It was just everyone else that worried her.

She sucked in a quick breath, squeezing Rose’s hands. “I was so happy when Mikleo was accepted. It’s a horrible thing to say, but I couldn’t help thinking that I was free. It’s a horrible thing to think.”

“Why?”

“Because he didn’t want to do it.” Alisha dropped her voice to a quieter whisper. She went quiet for a moment, waiting for Rose to respond. When she didn’t, Alisha pushed on. “I could tell. He wasn’t happy and he barely did anything beyond what was suggested. Mikleo just wasn’t interested, and I should have said something. If I had, then he wouldn’t have gotten taken by the dragon.”

“You’re not responsible for that.”

“I’m responsible for not stopping him. And I’m responsible for my thoughts.”

“Alisha-”

“I want him to come back because he’s my friend, but I find myself hoping he comes back because I don’t want to have to marry Malfore myself.”

Rose tensed, her fingers tightening around her hands. “You don’t have to.”

“But I do. I need the Fortons’ support to keep Ladylake safe. I can’t just live for myself, I have to protect everyone.”

“Malfore isn’t your only option.”

“But he is!”

“No he isn’t.”

“Rose, we need a Shepherd with a dragon around.”

“Well, what makes a Shepherd?”

Alisha was taken aback by the question. She stared at Rose, watching as Rose shifted in place. The woman recovered herself quickly, Alisha surprised at the serious look on Rose’s face.

“From everything I hear, the Shepherds were just ordinary people who learned how to track and hunt down dragons. Anyone can learn that.”

“It’s not just that. It’s all the support we’ll get from the Fortons.”

“They’re not the only people moving and shaking Rolance.” Rose took a deep breath and shifted. For a moment, it looked like she was going to throw back the covers, but she seemed to think better of it. Rose settled back under the covers, giving Alisha a steady look. “You can throw your nets a little wider.”

“But we already have this deal.”

“With Mikleo, but don’t throw yourself away on this. Listen,” Rose scooted closer, reaching back to comb her fingers through Alisha’s hair. Alisha hummed and leaned into the touch, feeling herself relax.

Rose scratched her fingers against Alisha’s scalp as she spoke in a low voice. “There are plenty of other options. That’s why I’m back so early. I’ve been gathering news and talking to a few people. I know your people like the idea of Malfore with his title and all those connections, but there’s plenty of others, like the Platinum Knights. The latest news is that they’re unattached to any city, but their leader has fallen in love with a member of the Pendrago nobility. It’s only a matter of time until Georg Heldalf settles down, and then the leadership of the knights may go to someone else. A lot can be done with former mercenaries on your side.”

Alisha made a noncommittal sound, not surprised when Rose laughed softly. “Yeah, I thought not too. But it’s an option. There’s one I was really hoping you would consider, although it took a while to work it out.”

“Rose…”

“Don’t say that I didn’t have to. I’m not _that_ altruistic. I just wanted to see if you would accept the idea of mercenaries.”

“Why?”

 “I had to be sure…because I’m not a big stakeholder in the Sparrowfeathers, at least not yet. And it’s not _just_ the Sparrowfeathers. Sure, I can bring the trading empire of the Sparrowfeathers to help Ladylake, and Marlind might just starve themselves out if they try to go around us, but that won’t really help with some of your other problems. So, I had to make sure that the Windriders would be with you as well.”

Alisha sucked in a quick breath, her eyes going wide. Everyone knew about the Windriders, the mercenaries were legendary in their fighting skill and their fairness. She had never thought that they were connected to the Sparrowfeathers, because it wasn’t a logical leap. The two of them operated on completely different levels, and she had never seen anyone in both of them.

Then again, it almost made sense. The Sparrowfeathers tended to be a lot of older people and youngsters. What safer place for the older mercenaries, their children and families than with a group that looked completely unconnected and could move with them?

Alisha swallowed, squeezing Rose’s hands. “Are you…offering me the Windriders?”

“The same way that the Fortons offered you their support. And it’ll come with the support of the Sparrowfeathers as well. Everyone agreed on that. But it’s a better offer than you will get from the Fortons or anyone else.”

Alisha stared at her. It was too dim to really make out Rose’s expression, but she needed to see it. This was something too important to be left to chance, because it could mean many things. It could mean keeping Ladylake safe without having to force an alliance with the Fortons. It would mean a way to take care of the dragon. It wasn’t a solution to all of their problems, but it would give them a very clear path to helping with some of them. But, beyond that, there was something more important, something that was making Rose refuse to meet her gaze completely.

She shifted her hold to slide their fingers together. “Is this…a proposal?”

“Yes.”

Alisha sighed, shaking her head. “I’m not talking about a business proposal.”

“I know. I’d get down on one knee if it wasn’t so cold tonight. And I would have asked before, except I know you. You wouldn’t have said yes until you had something for Ladylake.”

“Rose-”

“I’m not insulted by it. That’s what I like about you, you’re selfless. Frustratingly so sometimes.” Rose chuckled and moved to kiss Alisha’s forehead. Her lips lingered there for a moment before she pulled away. “You haven’t told me your answer yet.”

Alisha blinked, running through the last few moments of their conversation before she blushed. “R-right. Yes…yes I will. There was never any question…”

She cut herself off with a yelp as Rose pulled her close. Alisha immediately grabbed onto her, holding Rose tightly. She pressed her face against Rose’s shoulder, continuing to mutter her answer as she held onto Rose. “Yes. Yes.”

* * *

Mikleo wandered down the halls of the old shrine, one hand pressed against the wall. Under his hand the wall gave off a gentle glow which seemed to follow him as he moved. He was sure that it was a seraphic arte. It would made sense considering the age of the shrine. There were parts that were obviously newer than the Temperance of Avarost, but they could have been added later. Mikleo would have been surprised if the shrine hadn’t been altered.

From everything that he had read, it made sense. The need for the temple had expanded, as had the priesthood. The golden era would have encouraged growth, and anyone could have used the shrine after everything had fallen apart.

Mikleo slowed at the thought, frowning at the wall. He reached up to touch a line of bowing priests. He knew the history that he had studied, the whole thing was intimately familiar to him from the books he had read in Marlind and then in the royal libraries. It was the history that most everyone knew, if a little more detailed.

The great civilization had thrived under the protection of the seraphim. They had built the greatest cities and lived in a way that could only be imagined now. And then, it had all collapsed. Some more religious writers decided that the end of the civilization was because of an outpouring of greed and callousness that condensed into a substance called malevolence. From this malevolence sprung the dragons, creatures that had come to punish humanity.

On that most writers agreed, dragons were part of the myriad of calamities that had befallen the world. Bad harvests, long winters, failing game, earthquakes, flooding and endless rain. They were numerous and came in a different order depending on where the account had come from. Mikleo had spent a year transcribing an account by Chrétien from Troyes, a small city that had existed on the coast. His had been the only account from the time known as the Age of Chaos, when things had been at their worst. The calamities has intensified to the point when the entire world moved.

The great continents that had been formed in the earliest stages of the failing kingdom had come rushing back together at an unnatural speed. Chrétien had written about it, observing as Westgand, Eastgand and Southgrand slammed together before Southgand was sent spinning away, possibly to be lost to the seas. No one had seen it since then. Chrétien hadn’t hinted about what happened to it. Then again, he had died in the destruction when his city was crushed between rising mountains.

It had been a time of great suffering, with many deaths and disappearances.  It was no wonder that people had associated dragons with their problems. Mikleo had heard many of his colleagues call the current era a second age of chaos. There were plenty of disasters that looked similar, from bad harvests to extreme seasons. Mikleo was sure that they would take Sorey’s appearance as another sign that more disasters were befalling them.

He dropped his hand away from the wall, wrapping his arms around himself. Even if Chrétien and the others were right, it left out a lot. There was Sorey’s version to consider.

If he took things at face value, Sorey was a valuable witness. Two thousand years had given him plenty of time to watch events unfold. Besides, there were plenty of books lying around in his room to act as a check to Sorey. He doubted that Sorey would have made it all up. Besides, the dating of the books didn’t match up and the handwriting was significantly different enough to be written by different people. He had spent hours looking through the books in the room he had claimed as his own. There had been one that had listed wonders of the nearest city, one that Mikleo assumed was the ruins under Ladylake. Another was just a collection of sappy and erotic love poetry.

The book that had kept him up most of the night had been a record of the known seraphim. It had included what the humans called the seraph, all of their titles, their marriages, where they lived as well as the color of their feathers. That more than anything had convinced him that Sorey was telling the truth. If not, then it was an elaborate hoax, and a truly dedicated one.

Mikleo sighed and shook his head. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that, not when the evidence was so clear. If what the book and poems had told him were true, the seraphim had always been dragons as well. The ancients had known it, and they had forgotten it.

He frowned, starting down the hallway again. It wasn’t so much that the seraphim and dragons were the same thing that bothered him, it was how it could be forgotten in the first place.

Then again, things could be so easily forgotten. They only knew what they did about the Temperance of Avarost because of the books they had. Even then they were discovering things that had been forgotten by everyone else. It was telling that they didn’t have any of the books that connected the two. The only thing they had were the carvings of the winged seraphim.

He slowed to a stop in front of another bank of carvings. Mikleo tipped his head to the side, staring at the image of a dragon bending over to breathe over a field. Mikleo couldn’t tell exactly what the seraph was doing, but it looked like something good. He reached out to trace the arc of the seraph’s wing. The people in the carving looked happy and content. Mikleo couldn’t remember seeing a carving that didn’t seem that way. He couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to carve a disaster. He didn’t think anyone would have the time. While it was happening everyone had seemed to be focused on getting away from the city centers and the major areas of calamity.

With that being the case, things made a little more sense. Mikleo couldn’t imagine anyone hauling books with them as they scattered. The most they would take were their stories, but it wouldn’t take long for them to get twisted, especially with the continents separated. Maybe there had been an imbalance of dragons on either continent, or at least an imbalance of ones that were awake. With everyone scattering, it would be hard to keep the story straight.

Mikleo gave the wall carving one last look before continuing down the hall. He picked up his pace, reaching up to clutch at his coat. He had no idea where he was going, but he had woken up in his room with the strange feeling of not being able to tell the time. He’d tried to ignore it, but he couldn’t just lie around. He hadn’t been able to do that for weeks, so it felt strange to have nothing but time on his hands. If he hadn’t been getting ready for the wedding, he had been working to forget what he had agreed to. Besides, it was too silent in the ruin. He missed the sound of his uncle moving around their house or his mother singing downstairs. In the ruin there was just silence.

He bit his lip, tugging his coat closer. It wasn’t cold in the ruin, not that it was too cold outside. But that didn’t mean that he could fight the chill off completely. It was his second day in the ruin, or maybe his third. Time had ceased to mean anything. It made him miss the predictability of his schedule back in Ladylake, the comfortable repetition that he had loved about his life. He couldn’t just lie around all day and wait for Sorey to recover, he had to be doing something. Thankfully, the ruin gave him a lot to do. Unfortunately, he didn’t know his way around the ruin.

He slowed down, looking around. He had been careful to keep going straight on from the hallway, but he knew that wouldn’t last forever. Then he would have to figure out another way to look around. Mikleo was not about to let himself be led everywhere, he wanted to explore. The problem was that parts of the ruin didn’t look unique enough yet for him to feel safe getting back. He was sure that Sorey would come looking for him at least, he wasn’t quite sure about Atakk. The Normin didn’t seem to have forgiven him for being the reason Sorey had gotten hurt, and Mikleo couldn’t blame him. Still, starving to death in a ruin, no matter how fascinating, was not on his to do list.

Mikleo looked around as he walked down the hall, looking at the carvings as he went. Most of them seemed to be on the theme of farming, with a mixture of seraphim and humans working. It wasn’t quite the style of the parts of the ruin further up. Mikleo could tell that someone was trying to copy the style, but it wasn’t quite right. There were little quirks that made it stand out, like the way that the faces were done and the way that the feathers on the dragons were actually detailed and not a vague pattern. They were still beautiful in their own way, and showed that the people in the shrine still cared for it. That the subject of the art had switched just made him believe that it was from the times of turmoil, when the people might have been living in the shrine with the dragon. These were more focused on everyday life than the vast tributes to the might and wonder of the seraphim that were on the floors above.

He paused by another carving, reaching out to follow the curve of an eggshell. A dragon wasn’t hovering over them, but a human was gently shifting them. Mikleo tipped his head to the side, tracing out the symbol that he found on their clothing before shaking his head. He hadn’t seen it before, but that made it all the more interesting. He’d have to make a note of it later.

His fingers twitched, like he would find his pen and notebook, but they weren’t there. He hadn’t found anything to write with in his room either, unless he felt like writing in the margins of the books. Mikleo shook his head at the thought. He would just remember it. It was unique enough that he wouldn’t forget it. He’d just have to make a study of it as soon as he got back to Ladylake.

The thought make him frown, Mikleo taking a step back to look at the symbol. He didn’t know if he would find it back in Ladylake. Even if he did, it might be fragmentary. This looked like it came from something after the civilization had broken up, which meant that it might not come out in the books or, at least, not the books that Ladylake had. This kind of thing could be lost to all of them, all because no one ever went into the old ruins and came out. Mikleo was sure he knew why now. If the dragons were hiding in the old ruins, then it made sense that they would take any of the humans that wandered in. Some part of him railed at discoveries that were being hidden, but it made too much sense.

If any of the humans had gotten out, the dragon might have been killed.

Mikleo turned away from the carving, walking down the hallway a bit more before he sunk onto a pile of rubble. He dropped his head into his hands, taking deep breaths.

He was beginning to see the shape of how things were, which was starting to make a horrible kind of sense to him. The world had started falling apart, so the dragons had saved those closest to them. But the seraphim hadn’t been everywhere and Mikleo doubted that the whole world was carefully divided up into their families. The impression that he had gotten from what he had read was that they had their own territories that they looked after, but only a small group of people that were theirs. Years of escalating calamities must have made them desperate. Mikleo could all too easily imagine people handing over children or elders to the seraphim just to make sure that they stayed safe, but that was where the trouble began.

In his experience, the elderly tended to know all of the stories. He had seen a few younger storytellers, but they were usually apprenticed for a long period of time. Mikleo didn’t quite know how the profession would survive in an emergency, but he doubted that there would be enough to spread the word once the source of the stories were gone.

He could just as easily imagine people coming back from seeking out a new place to live only to find their old homes torn apart by the movement of the earth and bandits and the seraphim nowhere to be found. From there, it was far too easy to see how the stories about the dragons had changed. They had become monsters that had eaten the humans left behind. And then they had been separated from the seraphim. After all, people needed something to pray too and hope for. It was hard to do that to a dragon.

He sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. He startled when it ended abruptly. Mikleo pulled a strand around, staring at his shorter hair. He was used to it being long and all the care that went into it, so much so that he had forgotten about it. Still, it was a weight off his head, even if he was sure the line of his cut was a jagged mess. Mikleo reached back behind him to try and follow the line of the cut, wincing at his own work. He could have been more careful, but he had been in a rush. It would definitely need to be trimmed before he was married.

Mikleo dropped his hand away from his hair, pressing it against his mouth. He wasn’t going to throw up, but the thought of marriage made his stomach twist and curl. It was a far too familiar feeling. Mikleo swallowed and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.

He was overacting to it all. If anything, he was just thinking about how the first attempt at the ceremony had gone. It was enough to make anyone nervous. Besides, there was nothing to worry about with Malfore, at least, not from what he had seen so far. Malfore looked just like his portraits, which was a small relief. It had been hard to see everything from far away, but he’d seen enough to be sure of that.

Mikleo tried to hold the image of Malfore in his mind, waiting for something to happen. In the romances there was always some kind of moment when they saw each other and just knew things were right. He had scoffed at the idea, but he couldn’t quite push it aside as nonsense. It might just be a kind of hunch. At least that made a little more sense. And it was reassuring, that someone could know with a look. Mikleo was sure that it was just wishful thinking that it would work out, but at least known would be half the problem solved.

He bit his lip trying to focus on what he remembered of Malfore and what he had been told.

The Shepherd enjoyed hunting, and dancing. He enjoyed socializing and the parties that came with a settled society. Mikleo remembered something vaguely about Malfore liking the old histories of the Shepherds, but he couldn’t be sure about that. The man had seemed desperate when he had said that.

Mikleo kept the effort up for a while longer before letting his breath out in a rush. He slumped forward, resting his head in his hands. He had known it from the start. He had resigned himself to it.

Malfore was used to a different culture than he was, something more like what Alisha’s life revolved around. There were plenty of nobles in the areas outside of Ladylake that enjoyed the protection and the patronage of the royal family and vice versa. She might not always enjoy those parties, but they were the sort of thing that she was used to. It was the kind of life that Malfore would have enjoyed, and the one that Mikleo would have spent more of the time trying to avoid. That wouldn’t have created too much harmony in the marriage. If there was one thing that he had learned, there had to be a certain level of harmony, just to avoid most of the resentment that could turn poisonous. Mikleo just wasn’t sure that he would be able to do it.

He would be the partner of a Shepherd, his presence would be expected. The Forton family would expect to see what they had bartered for. The nobles that relied on Ladylake would expect the same. There was an image to put forward, and the very idea exhausted him. Mikleo just wanted to be left alone with his research, but he doubted that he would get much of that.

He opened his eyes, staring at the floor. If that was going to be the case, then he might as well make the best of his situation now. Sorey’s wing was still healing, which meant that he still had time to explore the ruin. There was plenty to see in the hallways and plenty of other rooms in the livable area to explore. Mikleo didn’t think that Sorey would mind. The seraph would have told him otherwise.

Mikleo rubbed his hands over his face, curling tightly into himself for a moment before straightening up. He looked around the hallway before making a choice. He would keep going through the hallways and find a way to mark them off. He didn’t want to get too lost in the shrine, but a day spent wandering sounded just like what he needed.

He pushed off of the rock, heading down the hallway again. Mikleo glanced from side to side, looking at the carvings. They were all of daily life. Mikleo slowed to look at what seemed to be a harvest celebration. With the date that he estimated for the carvings, they would have been done in the midst of the fall of the civilization. Their harvests wouldn’t be that big, or it depicted the last one. Still, the people looked happy as they laid the food out in the presence of the seraphim.

Mikleo tipped his head to the side, studying the food before moving onward. There might be another explanation, especially once he considered the milder weather that surrounded the shrine. Maybe the presence of seraphim was important. After all, the ancient civilization had flourished once the seraphim had arrived. Maybe they had helped with its rise.

It made sense with what he had seen. Just having Sorey around made the winter milder. It might help in other, unseen ways. That was something that he would have to look into and maybe compare to the other records that were back at Ladylake.

Mikleo turned to look at another carving, studying the people before shaking his head. Even with the help of a seraph, the people would have been just barely getting by, but it would make them better off than some of the other villages without a seraphim. He knew what he would have preferred. Then again, that was now. If he had been asked about what he would have preferred even a few days ago, he would have said that he would never have lived with a dragon.

He sighed and continued down the hall. The corner of his mouth twisted up as he saw the stairs heading downward. Mikleo looked around before settling on the fallen stones to one side. He knelt down to arrange them in a coordinated pile before heading down the stairs. He might have to find other ways of marking his path, but he was sure that he would find enough stones to keep making his piles. The ruin had plenty of fallen stones for him to borrow.

Mikleo started down the stairs, humming to himself as he looked around. The scenes of daily life continued, some of them repeated from the hallway above. It wasn’t exactly the same scene, but the idea was much the same.

Then, abruptly, the carvings disappeared.

Mikleo reached out to touch the sharp divide, frowning at the unfinished stone beneath. The carving didn’t look like it had been hacked off the wall, Mikleo couldn’t find any tool marks. It looked like the carving had fallen away, but he couldn’t see where it had gone. Maybe it had been carried off or just kicked down the hall. He didn’t even know when the carving had come down.

Mikleo tapped at the wall, looking up at the place that the carving would have sat. It was sad that it had been left to fall apart. Then again, he couldn’t imagine anyone being able to keep the place in pristine condition. The humans were too busy eking out an existence in a hostile environment and the seraphim were sleeping. Mikleo shook his head, running his fingers over the rough surface. The world had fallen apart all those years ago and it didn’t feel like anything was being done to fix it. It made him angry, but there was nothing that he could do about it. He couldn’t even begin to think of a way to bring the seraphim and humans together.

He sighed at gave the wall a pat, smiling sadly at it. “I’m sorry.”

He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but it felt like the right thing to do. He gave the wall one more pat before continuing on. Mikleo didn’t lift his hand from the wall, letting it trail along it.

Mikleo looked ahead as he headed down the hall, staring into the gentle glow. His footsteps echoed in the hall, Mikleo suddenly struck by how alone he was. He shuddered, reaching up with his other hand to grab at his shirt. It had been warm enough to sleep in and he hadn’t changed out of it. It was plenty warm for the ruin, but not enough to block out the feeling of ages pressing down around him. It didn’t scare him, but it made him very aware of just how small he was.

He tipped his head back to look at the ceiling, breathing in slowly. He may be a small blip on the scale of things, especially compared to a ruin that had been around for centuries, but he was still in awe. It made him reconsider what he wanted to do with his life.

Mikleo wasn’t ready to give up working with the manuscripts, because that was equally as important, but there was something for being able to wander around ruins and see how the ancients had seen the world. It was something that he had never thought he would be able to do. There was safety in Ladylake, but nowhere else. The rest of the world might as well be an eternal mystery.

Mikleo hummed to himself, pausing when he heard the sound of something clattering in the distance. He tipped his head to the side, listening for it again. He assumed that it was just another piece of stone falling from the walls, but it came again and again at a regular interval.

He frowned, orienting himself to the sound before staring off in the direction. It was easy to keep on track since the sound kept coming regularly. Mikleo tried to work it out, torn between rocks falling or some kind of hammer tapping. He thought he heard a grunt at one point, but he couldn’t tell from the distance. Mikleo sped up slightly, keeping his head tipped to the side as he walked through the hallways.

The sound kept getting louder, Mikleo following it easily until he hit a junction. He stopped and swayed in place, jumping when he heard a scraping sound. He stared down the left hand hallway, reaching out to press his hand against the wall. It lit up softly, Mikleo breathing a sigh of relief. It wasn’t much, but it helped just a bit more. He gathered himself together before striding down the hall, listening as the scraping and tapping getting louder.

He stepped into a small antechamber, Mikleo pausing to look around. This one didn’t have as many specific carvings, but they were geometric in pattern. Mikleo stepped closer to the wall, reaching out to trace a particular symbol. He knew that there were a few symbols associated with the first seraphim who had come down to help the humans, and he could see a few of them on the walls. Amenoch’s was repeated on this wall, but it was mixed with another symbol, one that he wasn’t familiar with. It could have been a regional thing or the practice could have been more widespread when there were fewer seraphim around. Or maybe it had only happened when a particular seraph was worshiped in one place for generations.

Mikleo traced around the side of the jagged lines caught in swirls and pointed curls. It was obvious that the symbol was important to them, so it was likely that it was related to the seraph that had been worshiped there. The jagged lines were another clue, because Lord Zenrus was known for his connection to lightening. Sorey had said something about this being his temple, his grandfather’s temple. Mikleo shook his head as he stepped away from the wall. That was baffling in a different way, because it meant completely changing how he thought about seraphim. Then again, he was well on his way to doing that.

He turned his attention back toward the sounds. He walked out of the antechamber and into the larger chamber on the other side. Mikleo sucked in a deep breath, amazed by the color in the rest of the room. All the other rooms and hallways of the shrine were just the natural color of the stone, but now he doubted that it was the way they had been originally. The room was a riot of color, a joyful celebration in geometric patterns and depictions of people. Mikleo dragged his gaze up the wall, stopping when he caught a flash of silver out of the corner of his eye.

He turned to chase the silver, his eyes widening as he saw the dragon hunched awkwardly where the ceiling met the wall. Mikleo took a step back, his heart pounding as he stared at the dragon. His first instinct was to run, but it passed faster than he expected. His eyes racked over the dragon, looking at the familiar blue and silver markings. That was enough to get him to relax further, Mikleo surprised by the thought that flitted through his head.

It was just Sorey.

The dragon hadn’t seen him, Sorey nosing along the place between the ceiling and the wall. Every once and a while his horns would clatter against the ceiling, making the noise that Mikleo had been following. Sorey didn’t seem to mind, he was too busy edging along the wall. Every once and a while he would stop and breathe on a place, Mikleo watching as silver flames curled out from his mouth. They would press against the wall before disappearing. Sorey would nose at the place again before moving on.

Mikleo watched as he edged his way around the room, his left wing tucked neatly against his back while his right wing dangled. Mikleo frowned at the sight of the wing hanging limply over some of the carvings. He couldn’t remember if it looked better, because it was hard to tell. The wings sat differently when Sorey looked human and when he looked like a dragon, and Mikleo hadn’t seen him much as a dragon. He was pretty sure why that was.

He frowned, watching as Sorey scrambled a bit further along the wall, his injured wing dragging along behind him. Mikleo winced as it caught on something. Sorey choked on a squawk adjusting himself before looking around, like he was expecting Atakk to show up and scold him. Mikleo could tell when Sorey spotted him, watching as the dragon recoiled.

Sorey froze, staring at him. Mikleo tensed under the stare, fear flashing through him before it disappeared again. Mikleo didn’t have time to think over the sensation because Sorey was carefully climbing down.

He settled on the floor, Mikleo watching as Sorey pressed himself against it. Sorey looked away from him, pulling his wings in as he tried to make himself look smaller.

The left wing went smoothly, but his right wing jerked and twitched, the motion obviously painful. Mikleo watched it for a moment before stepping forward. “Stop. You’ll hurt yourself.”

Sorey tipped his eyes to the side, Mikleo watching his eyes widen. Mikleo watched Sorey closely before shaking his head. “Should you even be doing this?”

Sorey lifted his head, looking at the wall before sighing. He looked guilty, but Mikleo only had a moment to see it before silver flames were billowing out over him. It didn’t take more than a minute for Sorey to reappear, the seraph giving himself a quick shake to get rid of the rest of the flames. Sorey rolled his shoulders, Mikleo catching the wince in the motion. He started forward, stopping himself when Sorey reached up to rub at his shoulder.

The seraph gave him a sheepish smile. “I probably shouldn’t, but I can’t just sit around all day. Don’t tell Atakk.”

Mikleo huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “If I told Atakk, he would accuse me of encouraging you. Or trying to kill you.”

“He wouldn’t. He’s just…overprotective.”

Mikleo raised his eyebrow, considering Sorey. He couldn’t think of a reason for Atakk to be overprotective. The Shepherd might have lived on as terrible boogeymen for seraphim, but he was sure that Sorey could defend himself, even while injured. Still, Sorey had been clambering around with an injured wing.

He looked at the loosely held wing before looking over at the wall that Sorey had been on. He squinted at it, trying to figure out what Sorey had been doing, but there was nothing obvious that he could see. Mikleo craned his head up at the join between ceiling and wall close to him, searching for anything that could have held Sorey’s attention. There was nothing that he could see, but the ceiling was a long way away from where he was standing.

Mikleo sighed and rocked back on his heels, looking back at Sorey. “What were you doing?”

“Touching up.” Sorey rubbed the back of his neck, his fingers tangling in his hair. Sorey huffed and reached back to pull it up, tying it up with itself as he talked. “I’ve been working on this room for a while now.”

Mikleo looked around, his gaze lingering on the carvings. It was an interesting room, but he only knew the reasons that he enjoyed it. “Why?”

“Because I’m working on restoring the temple for…” Sorey trailed off, his gaze dropping down. “I…I think it would be a shame if we lost this.”

His wings twitched slightly as he spoke, Mikleo watching the motion. It seemed out of place and something that Mikleo doubted that Sorey was aware of, which meant that it was a tell. Sorey was lying, but Mikleo didn’t know about what.

He studied Sorey for a moment before turning to look at the room. Mikleo nodded, smiling as he looked at the colors. “It would be a shame. There’s so much history here, so much that we can learn. It doesn’t have the answers to everything but, it’s a good place to start.”

That brought the smile back to Sorey’s face, Mikleo surprised by how happy that made him. Objectively speaking, Sorey was handsome, but there was something about his smile that made him irresistible. Mikleo swallowed, glad that Sorey was busy looking around the room so that he didn’t see it. He couldn’t be allowing himself to think those thoughts, they would lead him down a dangerous road.

Mikleo turned his gaze to the carvings again, stepping closer to the wall. He tipped his head back to follow them up the wall, reaching out before he stopped himself. “Were they always so colorful?”

“Yep.” Sorey stepped up beside him, Mikleo watching the seraph out of the corner of his eye. “It’s not really visible for most of the shrine, but a few corners still have it. I’m having to guess sometimes, and Gramps isn’t around to tell me what it looked like, if he even remembers. He was here for most of it so it might have all run together. I’m told almost tens of thousand years will do that to you.”

Mikleo tried to imagine being around for ten thousand years, but it was beyond even what he could comprehend. Sorey said it like it was a matter of course, which was just as baffling. It almost made him wonder how humans and seraphim had gotten along in the past. Their world views seemed so different. A thousand years was an unimaginable lifetime, but a seraph could wave them away without a thought.

Sorey was already moving on, walking along the edge of the room, his wing trailing a little in the dust. “I’ve been fixing up parts of this place slowly. It would have been falling down around our ears without it. The artes that hold this place up are starting to fall apart.”

“You’ve been replacing them?”

“Sometimes I can work out how they were done. Most of the time, I just replacing them with something that works in a similar way. None of the artes were actually written down. I’m just happy that they’re working. They should hold for another ten thousand years. That should give me time to work through the rest of this place.” Sorey reached out to touch the wall, giving it a fond pat.

His attention didn’t last for long, Sorey turning away to look at him with a smile on his face. “Hey, can you help me with something? I’ve been meaning to do it, but I wanted to get the next few rooms secure before putting anything in.”

Mikleo looked him up and down, his gaze dropping to Sorey’s wing. He motioned towards it. “What about that?”

“Oh,” Sorey twisted to look at his wing, “it’s nothing too strenuous. I promised you that I would take you back, and I will. But I can’t just sit around, it gets too boring.”

Mikleo looked him over, glancing between Sorey’s face and his wing. The limb didn’t look too bad, it wasn’t dragging too far behind Sorey and it didn’t look like it hurt Sorey to move it. If anything, it could move fine until the joint itself started compressing. Mikleo glanced over at Sorey’s back, his attention briefly distracted by the muscle there. It seemed to be in strange places, but Mikleo assumed it had something to do with the wings. He didn’t think muscle that the dragon had would disappear when Sorey looked like a human. That didn’t stop his mouth from going dry.

He jerked his gaze away, clearing his throat. “As long as you don’t hurt yourself. I don’t want Atakk to have another reason to hate me.”

“I’ll make sure that he won’t.” Sorey bounced in place for a moment before he stopped. “But I think that you’ll like this.”

Mikleo looked back over his shoulder, fully expecting Atakk to be waiting there to scold the both of them but the Normin was nowhere to be seen. He relaxed at that, looking back at Sorey. The seraph looked so eager that it was hard to say no. Besides, his plan for the day had been wandering through the ruin, and this seemed like a way to do it without getting lost. There was plenty that he wanted to ask Sorey, and he might get the answers that he needed. It would all have to be weighed and measured, but that was part of the process.

He straightened his shoulders, trying his best to look neutral, but it didn’t work. Sorey was smiling, and Mikleo was finding it hard to deny that smile. It was a bright as the sun and as hopeful as he had ever seen. It made him want to draw closer even while he knew that he had to keep away. It was the hardest balance that he’d had to walk.

Mikleo swallowed, trying to pull himself back even as he gestured for Sorey to lead the way. He didn’t manage it, because that smile turned brighter and Sorey perked up, his tail swishing across the floor. For a moment, he looked every bit like a dog. That might have scared him away if not for the way Sorey’s wings lifted slightly. He turned on his heel, motioning for Mikleo even as he started to the other side of the chamber. Mikleo only waited long enough to make sure that Sorey’s tail was out of the way before falling into step with him.

* * *

Mikleo looked through the books, studying each cover carefully before resting them on the stacks he had set up. He paused to lean on the crate, looking at the stacks. They were all arranged by date to be carefully taken to the shelves and arranged how Sorey best saw fit. Mikleo hadn’t been looking at the seraph at all, but that had only because the collection had been so fascinating. He’d never expected to see so many manuscripts and in such a good condition. He reached out to run his finger down one of the spines.

The leather was old and cracked in places, but that was the only flaw that he could see. Even then, it was nothing more than he expected from an old book. Mikleo lifted it out of the crate and turned it over in his hands. He gently opened the cover, staring at the carefully penned words. They weren’t in the ancient tongue this time, but somewhere in between that and the current vernacular. That was fascinating in itself, but the text itself was also interesting. It was a long poem, one that spanned the whole book. He did a quick flip through to check on the length, smiling when he realized how long the poem went.

He cocked his hip against the table, opening to a random page. It took him a moment of staring to settle into the story, Mikleo skimming over it. There were at least seven more crates in the room and plenty of other books that he could look at. Besides, they were working, not taking a break to read. If they did, Sorey’s ten thousand year limit would be up in no time.

Mikleo couldn’t think of a better way to spend that kind of time.

He closed the book with a sigh, looking up as Sorey came back to the table. He was treated to another smile, just a brilliant as it always was. Mikleo found himself returning it. He turned the book over in his hands, considering the age before setting it in the pile to his right. He left his hand on the stack, taking a break to look around the room.

It was large, the vaulted ceiling giving extra height to the space. Mikleo looked at the carefully carved flowers, something in him aching at all the patchy, blank space. There might have been something up there once, between the vaults, or the flowers themselves would have been painted brightly. Now that he knew that parts of the shrine had been in color, it was sad to see them without.

He brushed his hand over the cover of the book before stepping back. He looked at the shelves that lined the walls. It was obvious that they didn’t belong to the room because they were all different woods and styles, but they were arranged well enough that it didn’t take anything away. Some of the shelves were already full, a show of their work over the past few hours. The rest, ten in all, still waited to be filled. Mikleo didn’t quite know how Sorey had allotted the space, nor was he sure that all of the books would fit.

Mikleo turned his attention back to Sorey as the seraph picked up the next stack of books. Sorey grunted as he took the stack, his wings spreading as he balanced himself. The left one flapped a little before settling, but the right one was slower, which made him stagger. Mikleo reached out for him, resting a hand on Sorey’s back before he could think about it.

He swallowed when his hand touched warm skin, some part of Mikleo amazed that it felt like any other human. Sorey felt all too human. Mikleo found his hand trailing up Sorey’s back, jerking it back before he could get too close to the aggravated joint. Mikleo licked his lips, about to apologize when Sorey moved away.

It was a relief to have him at a distance, but also a pain because he wanted to be right beside him again. Mikleo’s gaze lingered on Sorey’s wing were it was still slightly spread. He knew that it was for balance, but it looked like an invitation.

Mikleo reached out to grab another stack of books, sliding them carefully off the table. He tipped his head to the side to watch for Sorey’s tail, watching as the seraph flicked it away, his feathers brushing across the tile floor.

Mikleo studied the familiar pattern of jagged lightening and sharp curls on the tile before looking back at where Sorey was leaning against a shelf and putting the books into place. Sorey glanced over at him, nodding over to another shelf. “They go over there.”

Mikleo was slightly disappointed to find that they were a shelf away from each other, but the books on the shelf were just as fascinating, and far safer than standing by Sorey. And a shelf apart didn’t mean that they couldn’t talk.

He braced the books against the shelf and started to put them back into place. For a while, the soft thunk of books being put back was the only sound.

Mikleo looked down at one of the titles, breathing out when he saw it. It was something that he had read about in other books, but it was something that they had thought lost. He ran his fingers over the embossed title before carefully settling it into place. He looked down at the next one, shaking his head. “Where did you get all of these?”

“Around.” He looked up at Sorey, watching the seraph’s back as he worked. “Gramps was an avid collector and he knew a lot of the original authors so he got copies. Gramps always called them his treasures, so he would always get gifted them.”

Sorey slid the last book into place before turning to look at him. Sorey pulled his right wing around, combing his fingers through the feathers. “They got a little scattered before Gramps left with the others. He wanted to be sure that his family could always look into things that interested him, so he kept the library diverse. This is only the literature section. There’s plenty of others, but they’re all over the place. The literature section was the most organized so I took it first. The rest…they’re in the hallway.”

Mikleo hummed, going back to his shelving. “There’s a lot of stuff in that hallway.”

“It’s the best preserved part of this place.” Sorey laughed and pulled around his other wing to groom it. Sorey flicked a few loose pieces of feathers away. “It had to be, it was where our families were staying.”

“Just in that hallway?”

“There are a few more. It’s that section of the ruin that’s sturdier. It wasn’t built under or around other part of the shrine, it was carved out of the mountain. And it’s newer.”

“Ah.”

Sorey nodded, finally letting go of his wing. He shook it out, a few more feathers dropping to the floor. Sorey glanced at them before walking back to the table for his next stack.

Mikleo watched him go, his fingers petting the cover of the book on the top of the stack. He couldn’t imagine the shrine being used as a home, but Sorey had said the valley had flooded a few times. Mikleo tried to remember his glimpse of the village, but he couldn’t remember much. From what he had seen, it looked small and easily crushed. And probably newer than he thought.

He swallowed and started shelving books again. “How long ago where they here?”

“Oh,” Sorey grunted as he took the next stack, Mikleo hearing the rustle of feathers, “at least two thousand years ago.”

“Where are they now?”

“Back with Mom and Dad. There are a few with Gramps.” Sorey came up beside him, Mikleo tensing to keep himself from leaning into Sorey. Sorey seemed to misread his intention because he drifted away just as quickly. Mikleo turned to follow him, watching as Sorey came up against another bookshelf. He glanced at the cover, studying it for a moment before falling into the pattern of shelving. “They took most of their things with them when they left. What’s left behind is mostly Gramps’, passed down to him as offerings or what his families did. He kept it safe for them, so it’s my job to keep doing it. I keep the land safe for when they’re ready and the shrine for Gramps.”

Mikleo looked around the room, struck again by how big it was. This time, he wasn’t impressed by the size, he felt dwarfed by it. The whole shrine was like that, huge rooms and corridors built to house a dragon and the people who lived with him, and then expanded for the families of many dragons. And then it was empty again, just a lonely dragon and the Normin that looked after him. And him.

Mikleo nudged a book into place, his fingers lingering over the spine. “Where are they now? The people?”

That got Sorey to stop, Mikleo feeling a rush of fear at the expression on Sorey’s face. It was hard to read, Mikleo not sure if it was shock or guilt. Sorey shifted in place, staring down at the books in his arms. He shifted the stack to rest it on shelf. Sorey leaned against it for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s not a matter of people.”

“What do you mean?” Mikleo felt a thrill of fear down his spine.

“There aren’t…people anymore. At least…” Sorey groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “It’s how we work on each other. Humans teach seraphim how to cherish things, the stillness of a moment, the…wonder of things. We help with the land and, for the ones that live with us closely, they get changed.”

“Changed how?”

Sorey raised a shoulder in a shrug, his wing rising with it. “Gramps always said that it was a kind of blessing and a way of thanking them for everything they’ve done for us. Close and constant contact helps them turn into seraphim. It’s a slow process, but all of them become like us. It takes hundreds of years, but they stop being human and start being a seraph.”

Mikleo stared at Sorey, not sure if he was feeling horror or interest. The feelings were all mixed up and tied together, and he didn’t think he had the time to pick them apart. “Do they have a choice?”

“It used to be more of a choice, because people knew about it. Now they’re…they’re told later.”

“What happens to them if they say no?”

“Nothing horrible.” Sorey lifted a book from the stack, looking it over. “We’re not monsters, Mikleo.”

“I…I didn’t say that you were.”

Sorey nodded, slumping against the bookshelf. “We used to be able to send them home if things didn’t work out, without an insult to either side. Sometimes, things just didn’t work out. After the calamities and the Shepherds, we had to be careful. More than one of us saw a human that was returned killed horribly. So we started taking them away, to different villages or kingdoms in the hopes that they’d be happy.”

Mikleo felt his throat go dry, his hands shaking on the books. He stared at Sorey, feeling a horrible fear well up in his stomach. “Where are you taking me?”

“To the outskirts of Ladylake, far enough away so they don’t see me with you. That should mean you’re safe enough…and close enough to the Aroundight Forest or other hiding places that you could go somewhere that I could find you.”

Mikleo licked his lips, not sure if he was comforted by the idea. He had already been gone for days, and that might be enough for his family to have forgotten about him or believe that he was dead. Mikleo shivered, curling in on himself. None of them could forget about him, none of them would want to hurt him, or so he thought.

He jumped at the shush of feathers, turning his head to see Sorey’s wing curled slightly around him. It was blocked by the bookshelf and kept at a good distance from him, but it was there, close enough to touch. It was a reminder that Sorey wasn’t completely human or what he had thought the seraphim had been. That should had sent him shying away, but Sorey was warm and a steady presence. It was almost enough to have him leaning back into Sorey, except that it was his bad wing.

Mikleo swallowed, wrapping an arm around himself in lieu of leaning back into Sorey’s comfort. “How will you be able to find me?”

That seemed to baffle Sorey for a moment. He tipped his head to the side, some of the brightness being replaced with seriousness for the first time that Mikleo had seen him. “I’ll manage it.”

He pulled away, Mikleo watching him walk across the room. Sorey drifted around the table, one hand dragged against it along the surface. He avoided the piles of books waiting for him, seeming to forget the stack he had left on the shelf. Mikleo glanced at it, hurriedly shelving the last remaining books he had before moving over to it.

Mikleo rested his hand on the top, steadying it before looking back over at Sorey. The seraph was wandering around almost aimlessly, looking lost in the large room. Only a portion of it was set up for a library, and Mikleo knew that they would need more shelves. There were plenty in the hallway, and there might be more in the others that Sorey would be able to pull into the room. If not, there were plenty of ways to make them, and Sorey would have all the time in the world.

He sighed and started sliding books into place, his attention unable to settle on the titles. They were important, but they suddenly seemed dull. It was a first, and something that he wasn’t going to let himself think over. It was a matter of difference in sources, nothing more.

Mikleo slipped another book into place, lingering over its placement before turning to look at Sorey. “What was it like here?”

“Loud.” Sorey chuckled, stopping his slow circle of the table. “There was always something going on. The world was falling apart outside, and I remember my mother and father were always out. Gramps would say that they were spending time alone or helping with things away from where I was. What they were doing was strengthening the borders of our domain and checking up on things. They were helping build a village though, for better times.”

“What happened to it?”

“It’s still there, and full of seraphim. They’re doing alright, but very independent. I still go down every once and a while, and they’re always happy to see me. But they remember me from when I was just a hatchling scurrying around the hall of this place or when I was older down at Father’s shrine and helping them build it.”

Mikleo was taken aback by the admission. He remembered the towering pointed roofs from the flight over. “You helped build that?”

Sorey nodded, looking miles away. “My father needed a place after he…well after he became a seraph. He had his own family to take care of, and mother had hers and the village that they had set up wouldn’t hold them all, and this place was stretched to its limits.”

Mikleo hummed, looking around. “There must have been a lot of people.”

Sorey pulled out a chair and sat down in it. “There were. Most of them were Gramps’. Seraphim that had come to him out of fear, their families, people that he had saved, the families he had, Mother’s families, Father’s families, the seraphim that came from all of that. We were living cheek to jowl.” Sorey paused and chuckled. “They were planning for more eggs, so we were always building.”

There was something in his tone of voice that made Mikleo stop. He nudged the books further back on the shelf before stepping away. He walked over to the table and sat down next to Sorey, leaning in close. Sorey looked over at him with a smile, settling more comfortably in his chair. Mikleo watched as Sorey flicked his wings over the back of the chair, the two of them settling into the gentle curves at the top of the chair. He looked at his ease, which made Mikleo feel horrible about what he wanted to ask next. It would be easy to skip around it, but he couldn’t bring himself to.

“Eggs?”

The smile on Sorey’s face wavered for a moment. Whatever followed it was obscured as he ran his hands over his face. “You’re asking for a long story.”

“My work is with long stories. History is quite long.” Mikleo chuckled as he leaned forward. “And you are two thousand years old.”

“You want my life story?”

“I have the time.”

Sorey hummed, dropping his hands to the table. He still looked unsure, which made Mikleo want to bridge the gap.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, playing with the roughly cut ends. “My life isn’t really that long or interesting. I’m doing what I always wanted to do. I always loved history, Mom blamed in on my uncle because the only bedtime stories he would tell me were ones about history. All I wanted were stories about dragons.”

“I thought you were afraid of them.”

“Children aren’t rational.” Mikleo laughed, petting the sleeve of his shirt. “I liked them and I never got out of the habit of chasing after stories. I even went to Marlind for a while, before all the tension with Ladylake started. Then I started working in the palace doing…well this.”

He gestured around at the library. “I’ve been working with the old books we’ve saved, piecing together the history we have and trying to make it…make sense. Mostly I just fix the books and come up with my own ideas while no one else listens. The others are busy running to Alisha with everything she requests. I’m just a junior member after all.”

Sorey laughed, leaning forward. “And they don’t listen to you?”

“Well, Alisha does.”

Sorey hummed, giving him a soft smile. “So you went into the family business?”

“One of them.” Mikleo splayed his fingers out over his arm. “Mom is a priestess in the shrinechurch. I think it’s all fascinating, but I couldn’t stand the politics of the place. Uncle Michael works in the library like I do. And my father…Mom doesn’t talk a lot about him.”

Sorey sighed, reaching out for Mikleo. His hand fell short, Mikleo watching Sorey’s fingers twitch on the table. When he looked up Sorey had leaned in closer. “I’m sorry.”

Mikleo raised one shoulder in a shrug. “It’s hard to ask about someone you never knew.”

“What happened?”

“What always happened.” Mikleo sighed. “Another city-state trying to make a grab for something they need for their people that we had. He was caught in the crossfire. I’m sure there’s more to the story than that, but that’s all Mom would say. And that’s all she needed to say, because it’s the same. It’s stopped happening as often but…it’s a common enough story. After all, it’s how Alisha lost everyone. It’s something that binds everyone together, princess and commoner.”

“I’m sorry.”

Mikleo shook his head, reaching out to close some of the distance. He didn’t allow himself to touch Sorey, but it was closer than it was before and as close as he dared. “It’s the same all over. Something went bad thousands of years ago, and no one was able to fix it. I think we’re trying now, in our own little ways.”

“Is it working?”

“Maybe, if we started working together again. But that would take some doing especially with the Shepherds.”

Sorey hummed, his fingers drumming against the table before he shook his head. “It isn’t just your fault. Some of it is ours. We were caught just as off guard and panicked just as much.”

“Then maybe we should panic together a bit more.”

That got Sorey to laugh, the sound echoing bright and loud in the space. “Maybe we should.” He leaned onto his elbows, staring at the bookshelves.

He was quiet for a moment, the only movement in the slight twitches of his wings. Mikleo tipped his head so he could watch Sorey, waiting for the moment the seraph would speak up.

It wasn’t long in coming, Sorey sighing and nodding slowly. “Mother and Father met years ago. She came here to be closer to Gramps and help him with everyone that he had brought with him. There was a village back then, further north in the mountains. They must have seen her come in or heard about her because they started leaving out gifts. Mother only took them when they were needed for their family, but that must have been enough to encourage them, because they started leaving out humans.

“Mother ignored those, which seemed to work. I’m told that it was bad back then, even for seraphim, so they were trying to save the ones they had. But one day they left out a teenager in the snow, and she couldn’t leave him to freeze.”

“And that’s how they met?”

Sorey nodded, a smile crossing his face. “Yes. He stayed until he was better and then she went to take him somewhere else, but he wouldn’t go. Instead, he begged for her help. He said he would stay if she cured his uncle. I was never told the specifics about what they did, they would usually start giggling at this point, but the basics were that my aunt would sneak my uncle out. Mother did what she could, but it was only ever temporary. Uncle Laphi told me himself that the only option that he was offered was to be brought into the family to be kept close. He swears that it was the thing that saved him. But, when he went, the whole family went as well. From there it became a bit of a problem with earthquakes and others seeking out the safety of the dragon since they would see Aunt Velvet and the others walking around unharmed. It got worse when the village fell into the sea and Mother and Gramps saved everyone.

“There was a huge argument then, about whether or not to go with them. But Father convinced almost all of them…but it was the others that were the problem. The rebuilt the village in the same place and lived there for some years.” Sorey sighed, making a vague motion. “They almost all became Shepherds. Most of them spread out over the years after they couldn’t ‘save’ the others but a few remained.”

Sorey’s voice dropped down to a whisper, his gaze dropping to the table. “The story you told about the Shepherd is almost true. A man did come here to find the woman he loved, but he never found a dragon. He never slayed a single dragon, at least not a fully grown one. There were a lot of eggs though.”

Mikleo felt his mouth drop open, horror churning in his gut. He had been raised on the stories of brave Shepherds, the one who stood between the threat of the dragons and the people. They would always go into the dragon’s den and call them out before fighting. It had always seemed silly to him, but it was better than what Sorey was talking about. There was a practicality in sneaking up to a sleeping dragon and killing them, and it was something that he could have stomached before. But now there were complications, there were people that those dragons had saved and people that had depended on them. Now he could only wonder where they had gone or if they were safe.

But what Sorey was saying was worse. This was killing children, this was disgusting and horrible and all he could do was stare.

“I’m…I’m…”

Sorey gave him a kind smile, the seraph leaning in closer to him. Their shoulders brushed against each other, and then Sorey was retreating. “It wasn’t you. It wasn’t your fault”

Mikleo shook his head, not sure what he was denying. He swallowed, looking back down at where their hands were just within touching distance. There wasn’t anything left to say but he found himself struggling to come up with something.

He slumped in his seat, preferring to stare at their hands instead of meeting Sorey’s gaze. “H-how many?”

“Seven or eight clutches total. Mother didn’t like to talk about it.” Sorey shifted in place, his hand inching closer. “He was finally chased away when his wife sent him away, with all the force of my mother and my grandfather behind her. They say that she broke his heart by choosing her family with the seraphim over him, and that he went on to train up most of the Shepherds by leading some branch of the church or another. That’s when Gramps set up the arte in the Aroundight Forest, to make sure that no one like him could ever find his way back.”

“Did it work?”

Sorey must have nodded because Mikleo heard a rustle. “We’ve been undisturbed for all of my life.”

Mikleo breathed a sigh of relief, although he couldn’t help but feel some guilt. Even if Sorey and his family had been safe there had been other seraphim that had been affected. And he had been one of the ones that cheered the Shepherds. He had insisted that the Shepherds were necessary, even in the case of Ladylake. It didn’t matter that most of them had never seen a dragon, because the seraphim had gotten smart, or because the ones that could be easily found were all dead, they were all monsters of a kind.

And yet, that didn’t change anything.

On the other side of the Aroundight Forest, a Shepherd mattered. They patrolled the line between the known and unknown, and that was enough to console the people. In these times, any kind of consolation was good. And it wasn’t just the fact that Malfore was a Shepherd, it was everything that went with it as well. Ladylake needed all of it, or it would be another burnt out town.

He swallowed, looking up at Sorey. That fond smile was still there, and it did something to the pit of his stomach. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it made it better or worse. He moved his fingers slightly, brushing them against Sorey’s before jerking them away. That was too much, too close. And, what made it worse, was the way that Sorey’s smile widened.

Mikleo curled his hands back towards his palm, his gaze lingering on Sorey. He pushed himself out of the chair. If Sorey made a sound, it was lost in the scrape of the chair across the floor. He turned and walked back to the bookshelf, focused on the stack of books. It was easier than looking at Sorey.

He rested his hand on the stack of books, running his fingers over the cover. He heard the scrape of the chair as Sorey stood up, trying to ignore the way his fingers shook on the stack.

If Sorey seemed to think his abrupt departure was strange he didn’t say anything about it. Mikleo heard the familiar grunt and rustle of feathers as Sorey started on the next pile.

He gave in enough to watch Sorey out of the corner of his eye, marking the seraph’s path by the flash of silver feathers and the darker spots of blue among them. It was getting to be a familiar sight, just like the smile that would reach up into Sorey’s eyes and make them sparkle. He felt a blush cross his face, Mikleo sliding the last couple of books in place.

There was a kind of peace here, he couldn’t deny that. It was a peace he hadn’t known in Ladylake, and he was sure that no human had enjoyed for a while. What he was less sure about was if it was because of a seraph or just because of Sorey. Either way, it was tempting to stay, which made it all the more imperative that he had to leave.

* * *

Sorey leaned against the door frame, watching the steady rise and fall of Mikleo’s side as he slept. Sorey traced the way the glow landed on the sandy brown of Mikleo’s hair and along his cheek. It was too much, and he knew it, but it was hard to drag his gaze away. For the first time in the two days Mikleo had spent time with him. It was wonderful and spellbinding. And it hurt.

He swallowed and turned away, walking down to his own room. He deliberately kept himself from looking back over his shoulder, because then he would just drift back to Mikleo’s side. It felt right to be there, which is what made it so dangerous. He couldn’t be there.

Sorey sighed and dragged his hands through his hair, tugging at the messy braid that he had coiled up while he was working. He shook his hair free, feeling the tiny sparks as he sorted his hair out. It fell down his back, Sorey leaving it there for a loss of what to do. The night stretched ahead of him, and he was sure that he wouldn’t sleep. He’d been doing so much of that lately, probably because of his wing.

He paused to look over his shoulder, moving his right wing gingerly. It didn’t hurt when he moved it, but only within a limited range. It still hurt when he went to lift it up to tuck it against his side, and the full range of a flap hurt at the start and the end. He would try it again tomorrow, after a day spent resting his wing.

Sorey reached out to pet the top edge of it, using the motion to soothe himself. He turned into his room, coming to a stop when he saw the Normin sitting on the bed. Sorey sighed, giving him a nod. “Atakk.”

“Dweqcs Scobjuw.” There was a note of deference in Atakk’s voice, along with a bit of scolding. It was the tone that Sorey was used to from the Normin. Atakk took his job seriously.

Atakk reached up to push his helmet back, the Normin scratching at the top of his head before readjusting the helmet. “I thought we decided that it would be best for you to rest.”

“I have been.” Sorey gestured over his shoulder at his wing. “I haven’t been on it, just on my feet.”

The Normin snorted, Sorey taking that for another scolding. He rolled his eyes, walking over to one of the bookshelves in his room. He reached out to touch it, dragging his hands over the curls and letters on the front of it. “I couldn’t just lie around all day. I have things to do.”

“The shrine isn’t going to fall down around us, you know?”

“I know. But it’s something to do.” Sorey’s fingers found a loose piece on the bookshelf. He sighed, pressing against it and pushing an arte into it. Silver flames drifted from his fingertips, settling the loose bit of wood back into place. He ran his fingers over the piece before turning to look back at Atakk. “I wasn’t doing anything that would hurt it, just shelving books.”

From the look on Atakk’s face, the Normin didn’t believe him. Then again, he had a bad track record about these things. His enthusiasm tended to run away with him, or that’s what his mother had always said. His grandfather and father had always just encouraged him.

Sorey drummed his fingers against the bookshelf before sighing and turning to look at Atakk again. “I swear, that was all I was doing. Mikleo can vouch for me.”

“The…human.”

There was obviously something else Atakk had been going to add, but the Normin held himself back. Sorey was glad of it.

He tapped his fingers against the bookshelf one last time before going to sit on the edge of the bed. He was careful to keep his wings close and from hitting Atakk in the face. The Normin waited long enough to get him settled before scrabbling around to his back. Sorey felt a cautious paw against his skin, Sorey leaning back until Atakk could get at the joint. He sighed at the warmth as the Normin started to heal him.

Sorey expected the hum as Atakk worked. The Normin was probably checking to see that he hadn’t torn anything else out of place. Sorey sat still until Atakk was done, the heat from his arte lingering. Sorey reached back to touch it, imagining the fleeting touch that he had felt when Mikleo’s fingers had brushed against his. Sorey held onto the illusion for a moment, before sighing and letting it drift away. That was another dangerous thing.

He turned his head as Atakk shifted back to sit by his side. The Normin settled down with a sigh, giving him a nod. “Good. If you keep this up, you’ll be able to fly in no time.”

“How long is that?”

Atakk frowned, playing with a fold in a blanket. “Couple of days. Why?”

Sorey shrugged, sure that he wasn’t going to be able to wave it off. Atakk knew him better than that. They had been stuck together for too long for the two of them to have secrets from each other.

Sorey eyed Atakk for a moment before sighing. “I need to take Mikleo back, sooner rather than later.”

“Dweqcs Scobjuw-”

“The sooner I can do it, the more likely they’ll take him back.”

“Dweqcs Scobjuw-”

“Then we can go back to the way things were. And you don’t have to worry about him stabbing me in my sleep.”

“SOREY!”

Sorey startled at the sound of the name that Mikleo had given him. He turned to look at the Normin, catching the look of shock on Atakk’s face.

The Normin had never used Mikleo’s name for him, it was something too private, too intimate. It was something that was avoided with all seraphim. Names were precious, especially those given by the humans that they married. Sorey had heard the name that his father had given his mother, and the ones that Gramps’ brides had given to him, but he’d known never to use them.

Atakk pressed a paw to his mouth, his eyes widening. The Normin stared at him, the silence lasting between them for only a moment before Atakk gave him a partial bow.

There was an apology in the movement, but it didn’t last long before Atakk was back to lecturing him. “You know you can’t do that. It’s dangerous to get close…for the both of you.”

Sorey shook his head. “I’m not going to get close. I’ll just drop him off on the other side of the forest and then come back home.”

“That’s still too dangerous.” Atakk pushed the visor of his helmet up. “It’s not worth the risk. Just give him the time to settle in here. If he can’t do that, then there are plenty of little places where he will be happy.”

“It won’t be Ladylake.”

“No.”

“His family is there.”

Atakk shrugged. “That’s unfortunate, but not our problem. He was given to you after all.”

“He wasn’t!” Sorey startled at the sound of his own voice, his wings opening slightly. He glanced around, halfway expecting to see Mikleo standing there, sleepy and confused, but there was no one.

He breathed a sigh of relief, the feeling only lasting for a moment. Sorey turned back around, running a hand through his hair.

Atakk looked just as shocked as he felt. Sorey couldn’t remember the last time he had shouted at someone, or felt the same rush of anger and frustration.

He let his hand drop to the side, his fingers flexing. Sorey wasn’t sure what he was searching for, but he felt that he wasn’t allowed to have it. Sorey’s gaze dropped to his hand, Sorey watching it move before shaking his head. “Mikleo wasn’t an offering or a fiancé or…whatever they were. He was a mistake. They found an old song and my name happened to be in there. They called, so I _had_ to come. And I took him away and…”

Sorey paused, taking a deep breath. It was hard to keep his voice level and calm, because he could still remember that moment. It had the haze of a summons around it, because that’s what the song had always been, something to call the seraph to a specific place for a specific reason. He might have been confused about it at first, but it had been clear when he had seen Mikleo on that boat, resplendent in his wedding apparel. There had been no question in his mind then.

He had been given this wonderful, beautiful person.

For a moment, it had been like all of the stories that he had been raised on, like all of the stories that he had been told and read. The people had remembered them again, and they were begging for them to come back. For a moment, he thought that all of his dreams had come true, and people and seraphim were living together.

He hadn’t thought that it could be better than that, but it was because there was Mikleo. Mikleo was beautiful and intelligent. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such good conversations with anyone. He and Atakk may have debated the art in the ruin, but not the history. Atakk was more than happy to let that sit. It had been a long while since he’d been able to talk history with anyone. Everyone else was too busy making a living or they didn’t have an interest. Most of them were more interested in talking about how he had grown or his tips to make sure that the other shrines didn’t come crashing down around them. Sorey was more than happy to help them, but he didn’t want to just talk about that. There was always some part of him that would always chafe at the boundaries of his own domain, because there was so much world out there. Still, it had gotten a little bit more bearable with Mikleo there, which meant that it would be unbearable when he left.

He rubbed a hand over his face, hiding behind it for a while before looking back at Atakk.

The Normin still looked shocked, although some of that was starting to sink away. Atakk inched to the edge of the bed, clinging on as he leaned out. “Mistake or not, it’s not a good idea.”

“But I promised.”

Atakk waved a paw. “Then you’re just going to get him killed. There’s no guarantee that it will work. They might think he has the daemonblight or whatever made up disease they’ve come up with now.”

“He has family down there!”

“That hasn’t stopped them before.” Atakk gave him a sad look before sitting on the edge of the bed. “People can be cruel even when they love someone. I’ve seen it happen, so has every other seraph. They might think they’re being cruel to be kind, but it never works out that way.”

“Not with the way that he talks about them.”

Atakk shook his head. “Fine, even if his family takes care of him, then what? I can’t see you just sitting around and doing nothing.”

Sorey tensed, feeling his feathers fluff out. “I would.”

Atakk hummed, rocking back onto the bed. “So, you would just let him go out into the world and never think about visiting him again?”

Sorey opened his mouth to respond, but the words got caught in his throat. Sorey stared at Atakk, his horror growing the longer he stayed silent.

He had never thought about what happened after he took Mikleo back. His whole focus had been on getting to a point where he could fly. Even then, he had always assumed that he would drop off Mikleo and make a few checks around the area over the next few days. Then he could settle back into his routine at the shrine. There was plenty more work to be done before he could think of slowing down, like making sure the next few levels were secure and continuing to empty out the hallways of the artifacts that he had moved. That would be enough to occupy any seraph over hundreds of years, but it would be hard to continue on knowing that Mikleo was somewhere out there. It would be even harder when Ladylake was just a short flight away. He could probably make it over and take a peek without a problem.

That in itself would be bad, because Mikleo had made it clear that he didn’t want anything beyond friendship, and Sorey was sure that it was only for the moment. After all, no one else was in the ruin and it would be lonely without someone to talk to. Sorey wasn’t so far gone to miss the way that Mikleo avoided him when he was a dragon, or any part of him that looked like a dragon. It wasn’t a case of him alone, it was a case of Mikleo wanting _someone_ to talk to.

Sorey felt his wings flick out in agitation. He reached out to grab one, holding onto the edge. For a moment, he considered just waving it off because it could mean anything. But he and Atakk had been together for a while now and there was no hiding from that. Sorey stroked his fingers over the leading edge of his wing before letting it go. He curled into himself, his tail curling into his lap. He let it rest there, mantling his wings to hide himself slightly.

He heard Atakk huff, the Normin shifting beside him before ducking under the feathers. Atakk peered at him from that position before inching closer. “Dweqcs Scobjuw?”

Sorey shook his head, curling further into himself. He didn’t want to answer the question, because he already knew what he would say. Taking Mikleo back wouldn’t be as simple as he had always imaged, but maybe that was the point. He hadn’t thought about it because he had been hoping that Mikleo would change his mind about it. It was obvious that Mikleo was half in love with the shrine, it wouldn’t take much more for Mikleo to fall in love with _him_. After all, he’d been in love with Mikleo from the moment that he’d seen him and it hadn’t gotten better. Talking with him about history had just made it worse.

He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut as Atakk rested a paw on his knee. “Oh Messmu Meqcsbebq, it’ll be alright.”

Sorey wanted to shake his head, but that seemed so childish. He had agreed to send Mikleo back knowing what it would mean, or he had just done it to see Mikleo anything other than frightened. There had been consequences to the promise, he just hadn’t bothered to think about them. He wasn’t about to take it back just to keep Mikleo close to him, because that was a sure way to get Mikleo to hate him. Knowing the human, he would just take it upon himself to walk until he got somewhere safe.  Either way, Sorey would lose him, so he would just have to deal with all of it.

Atakk patted his knee, the Normin scooting closer. Atakk stopped short of climbing into his lap, but he was pressed against him. The companionship was welcome, but Sorey couldn’t help but wish it was Mikleo.

He opened his eyes, looking down at where Atakk’s helmet was sitting askew because of his position. Sorey stared at him for a second before resting his hand on Atakk’s back.

That seemed to be what the Normin was looking for because he curled in closer. “It’ll be alright. Just focus on getting that wing better and then we’ll consider this again.”

Sorey shook his head. “There’s no considering this. I promised him that I would take him back, so I will.”

From the way that Atakk paused he wasn’t too happy about it, but Sorey felt the Normin shrug. “Then we’ll send him home and get on with things. It hasn’t been that bad, just you and me.”

“No.”

“Exactly.” Atakk sat up, a smile on his face. “We’ll just keep doing what we have been. We’ll fix up this place and make sure that it’s all fancy again. Then we can go and visit your folks. Or I’ll take you to Katz Korner. It’s about time you went, since you’re old enough now. And we can meet with Miwj ih Meqcsbebq. It’s been a while since the two of you have talked and he’ll know what to do to get your mind off things.”

Atakk pushed off the bed, jumping to the floor. He reached up to steady his helmet. “If there’s anything that can help you get over lost love, it’s Katz Korner. It’s helped me plenty of times when all those beautiful seraphim broke my heart.”

Atakk walked out of the room, still running through all of his plans. Sorey only partially listened to them, even when he couldn’t hear them as Atakk got too far down the hallway.

Sorey stared at the door to his room, some part of him waiting for Atakk to come back or, better yet, for Mikleo to peek in and ask what was going on. He felt his heart speed up at the thought of more time to talk to Mikleo. It would be interesting no matter what the subject. Sorey didn’t care, just as long as it was a few more moments with Mikleo before he had to send him home. Sorey strained his hearing for a moment, listening for the sound of Mikleo moving around.

It was wishful thinking, because the hall was silent. Atakk had moved on to carry on whatever plans were spinning around in his head leaving the hallway quiet. It was something that he should have been used to, but the silence made him shiver. He’d been raised in the sounds of life, both seraphim and human. Sorey hadn’t thought about the silence for a while, but now it was pressing in around him.

He sighed and fell sideways onto the bed, shifting slightly so his wings wouldn’t be trapped under him. He stared at the door, almost expecting to see someone walk past. Maybe it would be his mother, father or grandfather. Sorey stared out into the dim light before shaking his head. He knew where they all were, and they wouldn’t be moving for a while. They were keeping themselves and their families safe, and Sorey was sure that they thought that he was asleep. Any self-respecting seraphim would be asleep because it was the best way to stay out of the way of Shepherds. Sorey was sure that he would have given the all clear, if not for Mikleo’s Shepherd.

Sorey bit his lip to keep himself from growling. No matter what the ceremony meant and no matter what the song had said, Mikleo wasn’t his. He couldn’t let himself think like that, or he’d never let Mikleo go. He couldn’t allow that, no matter what he felt.

He flicked his tail over his legs, trying to get comfortable. It didn’t work, Sorey sighing and reaching up to grab his pillow. He pulled his close to his chest, holding it tight as he arranged himself. He settled his left wing loosely against his back, gently stretching out his right wing. Sorey sighed when he didn’t feel the pull of pain as he curved it slightly. It was feeling good enough that he wanted to risk a test flight, but he didn’t dare. He’d stay on the ground for one more day, just to make sure that it was thoroughly healed. It would give him the time to work more on the library room and clear out some of the boxes of books.

It would give him more time with Mikleo.

Sorey ducked his head, clutching the pillow tightly against him. It was selfish, but he wasn’t going to stop himself from grabbing every spare moment with Mikleo that he could. It didn’t matter if it meant that he would end up test flying in the dark, getting every moment with Mikleo was more important. All of it would have to last him for a long time, because he doubted that any other humans would be coming his way. He was sure that he wouldn’t want them, at least not the way that he wanted Mikleo.

He buried his face into the pillow. He wasn’t tired enough to sleep, he wouldn’t even need it, but lying on his bed was better that shuffling through the shrine in the vague hope that he would actually get something done, and it was far better than standing outside Mikleo’s room. Mikleo wasn’t his, the whole thing was an accident. He had to keep repeating that to himself, no matter how much something in him rebelled at that.

Sorey smothered a whimper into the pillow, curling up protectively around it. It wasn’t what he wanted, but it would have to make do. He would have learn to do that a lot more.

He sighed and settled into a slightly more comfortable position. Sorey nuzzled into the pillow, giving the door to his room one last glance before closing his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ancient Tongue translations:  
> Messmu Meqcsbebq -Little Lightning (Sorey’s title)  
> Dweqcs Scobjuw -Bright Thunder (Sorey’s title)  
> Miwj ih Meqcsbebq - Lord of Lightning (Zenrus’ title)


	4. Chapter 4

“In this year dire portents appeared over Northumbria and sorely frightened the people. They consisted of immense whirlwinds and flashes of lightning, and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air.”  
-Year 793, _The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle_

* * *

 

Mikleo sighed and sank down onto a rock, tipping his head back. It was still chilly, but the sun felt good on his face. Mikleo smiled to himself, leaning back on his hands. It felt nice to be outside after two days spent inside the ruin. Then again, he’d been distracted enough at the time to not even think about it.

He and Sorey had been busy setting up the library. They’d powered through the boxes that Sorey had brought before going back to one of the hallways of rooms to gather more boxes and more shelves. Mikleo had taken the chance to poke around in the other rooms, amazed at all the things that Sorey had found in the ruin. He had said that he had pulled it all from different parts and had been putting things back as he finished the room. The library was the only thing he had changed, and even that he seemed hesitant about. Mikleo didn’t know why.

From all he had heard, the shrine was essentially Sorey’s now. He could do whatever he wanted with it, but Sorey didn’t seem to see it that way. Whatever he was doing, it was only because he needed something to do. Mikleo could relate in a way. Sorey was killing time until he could fly again, and Mikleo had spent the past months trying to keep himself so busy that he couldn’t really think about what he was doing.

He was still doing it.

He hummed to himself, glancing over at the prickleboar that was sitting to the side. He hadn’t meant to go hunting again, but he hadn’t been able to find Sorey in his room or in the library. When he had come back from the latter he’d found the bow and quiver of arrows leaning against the outside of his room. It was a clear hint, although Mikleo didn’t know why Sorey hadn’t told him. He would have thought that Sorey would have guided him up to the top of the mountain instead of the awkward stumbling that he’d done.

He’d found his way up eventually, by following the changes in the carvings from daily life to the more religious ones, but he was sure that there was a quicker way. He sighed and leaned back against the rubble, drumming his fingers against it. He couldn’t imagine why Sorey would leave him to wander on his own. Even Atakk would have made sense, because the Normin always seemed to be hovering close. Mikleo glanced around for him before shaking his head.

It was better to not question it and get the prickleboar in. They would end up roasting it tonight and Atakk would work whatever magic he did with the rest. What Atakk or Sorey needed it for he didn’t know. He had always been told that seraphim didn’t need to eat, but he had been told what he had learned was wrong before. Mikleo reached out to stroke his fingers over the curve of the bow. Sorey seemed willing enough to eat, and with great enjoyment. He didn’t seem to live off the mana that existed in the world. Then again, an exception did not a rule break. Even with what Sorey had told him about the seraphim he seemed like the odd one out.

Mikleo played with the spikes on the bow, freezing at a clatter. He twisted around to look, his heart pounding. His first thought was that it was a dragon, but that didn’t linger like it used to. The one that stuck and send a shiver of fear down his spine was the thought that it was a Shepherd. Mikleo grabbed for a better hold of the bow, closing his fingers around it as he turned around.

He sucked in a quick breath at the glint of gold, letting it out just as quickly when he recognized Atakk. Mikleo leaned back on the rubble, nodding at the Normin. “I thought you were a Shepherd.”

To his surprise, Atakk chuckled. “Me? A Shepherd? That’s a laugh.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Mikleo watched Atakk for a moment before gesturing at the prickleboar. “I caught us dinner.”

Atakk’s laughter slowed, the Normin tipping his helmet back into place. “Thank you kindly.”

Mikleo watched as Atakk ambled over to the prickleboar, his fingers finding the set of letters carved into the grip of the bow. He traced them out, more as a way to center himself than to try and translate. He was almost afraid of what he would find if he ever translated them. He tapped his finger against one symbol before shaking his head. “You’re being nice to me all of a sudden.”

Atakk paused, giving him a long look. For a moment, he thought Atakk would wave it off and get back to work, and Mikleo wouldn’t mind that. Instead, Atakk sat down on the rubble and gave him a long look. “Listen, I don’t hate you. But my duty is to Dweqcs Scobjuw and that comes first.”

Mikleo nodded slowly. “You promised his grandfather.”

“And his mother, and his father, and myself.”

Mikleo sighed at the recitation. “Atakk, I don’t want to hurt him and I will swear that on anything you want me to swear on. I won’t tell anyone about him.”

Atakk was silent for a moment before he shook his head. “I know. I’ve been watching you like a hawk.”

“And?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen him smile like this.” Atakk grunted as he settled down. “All the other seraphim are asleep, or in hiding. Sorey’s option isn’t that must better. There’s no so much freedom that he can have within a domain and duty.”

Mikleo looked way, trying to mark out the domain that Atakk was talking about, but it was invisible to his eyes. He looked back at Atakk, watching as the Normin pushed around some pebbles. “It’s not much freedom, but it keeps him safe. And that’s important because there’s not too many of us left. Keeping him like this may be stifling, but I’d rather have him like this than anything else, which means that you’re a danger to him.”

Mikleo tensed, glaring at the Normin. “I wouldn’t hurt him.”

Atakk gave him a sad look, Mikleo thrown off by it. He had expected something more like anger or more demands. Instead, the Normin slumped and refused to meet his gaze. The silence sat heavily between them, Mikleo trying to determine which way that the Normin would swing.

He didn’t have to wait long. Atakk turned to give him a sharp look, some of the pebbles skittering away. “You’re leaving.”

Mikleo’s first instinct was to snap at Atakk, but that wouldn’t be fair because it was true. No matter how much of a boon his accidental kidnapping was, there was something that he had to do.

Mikleo shifted in place, finally turning completely to face the Normin. Atakk glared at him for a moment before scooting closer. “Before, when humans were given to dragons, it was a solemn and agreed upon thing. They were binding their lives together.”

He shook his head. “Sorey knows it was a mistake.”

“It doesn’t matter what he knows!” Atakk gasped when he realized that he had shouted. The Normin shifted before shaking his head. “It’s what he’s going to do afterward. No matter how many times he says it, I don’t believe that he will just leave you alone.”

Mikleo stared at Atakk, wishing that he could just laugh it off. Sorey was old enough to know the dangers of being seen. He couldn’t just fly over Ladylake without being noticed and it would be hard to hide all the things that marked him as a seraph. Everyone would turn against him out of fear. The very thought made it feel like the pit of his stomach fell out, Mikleo feeling dizzy.

Sorey had never hurt anyone, Mikleo was sure of it. Sorey didn’t have the capacity to hurt anyone, but he would die anyway because people would be terrified.

Mikleo glanced down at the quiver of arrows, surprised by his train of thought. There was no way that he could kill the people of Ladylake, they were the ones that he was doing this to protect. But they couldn’t let them hurt Sorey.

He swallowed, feeling his hands shake as he reached up to grab onto part of the rubble. “He can’t come to Ladylake. They’ll hurt him.”

“I know.” Atakk reached out to pat his hand. Mikleo was surprised by the contact, but he was glad for it. He shifted in place, watching as Atakk leaned in close to him. “I’ve tried to tell him that, but it’s up to you now.”

“Why?”

“Because you named him.” Atakk sat back, reaching up to rub at his face. “I wish you hadn’t, but you did.”

Mikleo bristled a bit at the implication. “I didn’t know what to call him.”

Atakk shook his head, Mikleo not sure what to make of it. The Normin went back to his pebbles, knocking them around. “Names have power for us, it’s why we have so many. The more we have, the more the power is shared, and no one has full control. We are given true names that reflect our true selves, but our titles are given to us by our peers to reflect our powers or nicknames.”

Mikleo frowned, parsing out the names that he had heard associated with Sorey. “You…you call him Bright Thunder.”

Atakk huffed, Mikleo not sure if it was because of the name in translation or if it was because he interrupted him. Atakk eyed him for a moment before giving in with a sigh. “Yes. And then the humans gave us names because they didn’t live close to us or they didn’t know us. But, when a seraph married a human, they were given a name by them. It was a special name, one that was not used by anyone else. It was something between the two of them.”

Mikleo remembered the hand through the rubble, the shy way that Sorey had avoided his questions and the way that Mikleo had given a name. At least there’d been some thought to it, but not the kind of thought that came with such an important thing. He swallowed, looking away from Atakk. “And I gave him one.”

“It’s not what he knows.”

That was enough of an answer, because Mikleo could see it clearly. It didn’t matter that the two of them were bumbling through these steps by accident, they were still happening, and Sorey knew what they meant. He was constantly raising Sorey’s hopes with the knowledge that they would be parting.

He stood up, looking around. “I need to talk to him.”

“I think you do. Just as long as you convince him not to follow you.”

Mikleo paused looking over his shoulder as she shrugged the quiver onto his shoulder. “Only that?”

Atakk winced, flicking more pebbles off the pile of rubble. “Let’s start small.”

Mikleo nodded, ignoring the way that his stomach twisted. He was getting used to the warring feelings. Since agreeing to marry Malfore, everything in his life had become a tug-of-war. He took a few deep breaths before walking away. Atakk may be right, but he didn’t want to let the Normin watch him break down. If someone else saw it, then it would make everything true, and nothing about this could be true.

He shifted his hold on the bow, holding onto it like a lifeline. Mikleo was sure that it was the one thing that kept him from shaking as he walked down into the ruin. He didn’t know where Sorey was, but that gave him time to think about what to say.

It wouldn’t have to be harsh, it would just be going over what had to be done. But it would be hard, and Mikleo was sure that he would be breaking his promise to Atakk. There was no way this wasn’t going to hurt Sorey.

Now that Atakk had pointed it out, it was easy to see where they had gone wrong. Seraphim expected to have humans come to them as partners. Sorey must have grown up with stories like that. It was no wonder he had been so eager, because everything had pointed out that Mikleo had agreed.

He should have done what he had initially planned, which was to keep his distance and wait for Sorey’s wing to heal. There were plenty of books in his room and plenty of other rooms in the ruin that he could stay away from Sorey. It would be easier in the end, if they stayed far away from each other. But he had missed his chance to make it happen without some kind of pain.

He bit his lip, ducking under a listing section of wall. Mikleo started down the stairs, trying to ignore the parts of him that were screaming about just cutting all ties. It had been the most fun he’d had since he had been studying the Marlind. Time with Sorey didn’t have the same nervous edge to it, but it had that same sense of wonder and fun. It was what he felt when he was hard at work in the libraries at Ladylake. It was something that he didn’t want to give up and the fact that he had to made him want to rage at the world. But there was nothing really to rage against. His own decisions had gotten him to this point.

Mikleo stepped out into the open space of the top floor of the shrine. He glanced around, his gaze moving to the statue on the other side of the room. The winged seraph loomed large with a draconic smile on its face. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it was Lord Zenrus or not, he hadn’t gotten close enough to it to see the writing at the base of the statue. The hole in the floor on that end of the room discouraged him from getting close. He’d already fallen through that hole once, and he was not about to test his luck again.

He shuddered and looked away. Mikleo stepped out into the room, staying far to one side. If one part of the room had been weak enough to fall in then there might be others. After all, Sorey had said that he was working his way up the ruin. It made sense that the rooms towards the top of it would be the most unstable. That still didn’t make him feel any more comfortable.

Mikleo stared at the floor, searching for any kind of cracks before giving up with a shake of his head. He had used the same route while coming up and nothing had seemed to be too unstable. He would just have to trust himself enough to get back.

He started across the floor, looking around as he walked. The main shrine area was beautiful, almost enough for Mikleo to consider edging around the sides of the room just to get a better look.

He turned his attention away, looking at the hole in the wall. Mikleo slowed when he saw Sorey standing outside. He remembered the flight in and the sweep over the circular pattern of walkways suspended over the side of the mountain.

Mikleo found himself swaying to the side, watching as Sorey stood on one of the walkways. He was leaning slightly out, his hair and feathers ruffling in the wind that was coming off the side of the mountain. Mikleo was sure that he would have panicked if he was that close to the edge, but Sorey looked at peace. Then again, he was a seraph, he’d been able to fly for most of his life. Heights and falling would hold no fear for him.

He looked out beyond Sorey, the smile crossing his face disappearing when he stared out at the forest and clouds beyond the mountain. Sorey had all of the space in the world, but nowhere to go to. Mikleo couldn’t think of a place in the world that would be happy to see him, seraphim or dragon. He was just as trapped as the rest of them were.

Mikleo sighed and picked his way over to Sorey. He wouldn’t be able to free the seraph, it was beyond him. But he could at least give Sorey some safety. If he wasn’t going to stay then he had to make sure Sorey didn’t risk himself stupidly. He wasn’t going to allow that.

He clambered over the rubble at the base of the hole, watching as Sorey realized that someone was there. The seraph turned around, Mikleo’s heart beating faster at the sight of the smile that lit up Sorey’s face. It was the sort of thing that he wanted to have directed at him for the rest of his life. He steeled himself in the face of it, stepping over the last of the rubble so he could stand next to Sorey.

The seraph moved over slightly so he could stand beside him. Mikleo didn’t hesitate before sliding into place beside Sorey. He swallowed and leaned out a bit, staring down the mountain.

It sloped steadily down, some of its sides lost in clouds. Every once and a while they would drift away and reveal a bit of the green and white slope that was dotted with bits of stone. He turned slightly, his gaze drifting to where he could just see the other shrine, if only the diamond shaped decorations at the top. He narrowed his eyes and stared at it, hoping to see something else, maybe a hint that someone lived in the village to make what he was about to do better, but there was nothing.

He sighed and looked back ahead of them, staring out over the clouds. Mikleo wasn’t quite sure about what direction Ladylake was in, but it was out there somewhere; as were his family, Alisha and his fiancé. His whole life was there and he should feel like racing back.

“Do you see it?”

Mikleo turned to look at Sorey, confused by the question. “See what?”

“The beacon.” Sorey gestured out, but Mikleo didn’t look in that direction. He was too busy watching Sorey’s smile dim slightly. “Your fiancé is out there, so you should be able to see it.”

Mikleo glanced over at the sky, scanning across it. He knew what he would see, and no flash of sun could trick him. The sky would be empty, there would be no beacon from Ladylake. He could always lie and say that there was, it would certainly help with their separation and what Atakk had asked him to do. But he couldn’t lie, not to Sorey. “No.”

“What?”

Mikleo winced at the shake in Sorey’s voice, hating that it was there. “If I could see it, then I would have followed it already.”

“Oh.” Sorey’s wings drooped a bit. “But…you were going to get married.”

Mikleo shook his head, hating the hopeful look that crossed Sorey’s face. “I was getting married.”

“To someone you don’t love?”

“It’s complicated.”

Sorey sighed and sat down on the walkway, his legs dangling off the edge. Sorey patted the stone next to him, Mikleo not sure if it was in thought or as an invitation. Either way, he didn’t want to take it. He gave the drop off a furtive glance before stepping to the side and closer to Sorey.

The seraph just twisted to look at him, obviously waiting patiently. Mikleo stood under his stare for a moment before shaking his head. “Ladylake needs protection, Malfore comes with it. His family is powerful and the fact that he’s a Shepherd would make the other cities respect us.” He saw Sorey shiver at the mention of a Shepherd, but he forced himself onward. “I couldn’t let Alisha do it, because…there was someone else for her. I saw one friend go through that and I can’t watch another do it.”

“So you’ll do it yourself?”

Mikleo nodded, taking a step back so he could sit down away from the edge. Sorey pivoted to face him, not seeming to care that he was putting his back to the drop. Sorey leaned forward to look at him, looking like he was going to reach out. Mikleo was relieved when he didn’t, because he wasn’t sure what he would have done. Sorey just frowned, staring up at him. “But you don’t love him?”

“I don’t know him. That’s different.” Mikleo swayed in place, his fingers twitching around the bow. “I _could_ end up loving him.”

“And if you don’t?”

“I don’t have to be around him all the time. I’ll have my work and other things I can do. I can spend the rest of my life ignoring him.”

“But you won’t be happy.”

“Does that matter?!” Mikleo didn’t realize that he had snapped until he heard his shout echoing back at him. He jerked back a step, looking around before slumping again the dais behind them. He shook his head, carefully keeping his voice down. “I can help the people that I love. That matters more.”

Sorey nodded slowly, a self-deprecating smile crossing his face. “I understand that.”

Mikleo took a quick breath, looking around. Atakk had said that Sorey was essentially bound to his own domain, the places where the humans never came. He hadn’t been able to see it from the top of the mountain and he doubted that he would be able to see it from where it was. There was nothing to point out the domain, just clouds endlessly rolling by. Mikleo doubted that they really meant anything, just that the window was blowing. Mikleo leaned back into the stone with a sigh. “Atakk says that you’re the reason it’s like this.”

Sorey nodded slowly. “Partially. My mother and father contribute.”

“And the others?”

“They’re not ready yet. It takes more time.”

“More than two thousand years?”

“Yes.” Sorey brushed at something on his pants. “Father was lucky because of what he was. The closer you are to a seraph, the faster it works. I don’t know how or why, mother said I would know when it was time.”

From the way that his wings twitched, Sorey was lying, but the seraph didn’t linger over it long. Sorey twisted slightly to point out over the clouds. “Father is in the shrine down the mountain, but he’s focused his domain over the rest of the mountains, to protect the villages there. Mother is in Lefay, and her domain is centered there. It helped a city there, until it was attacked.”

Mikleo bit his lip, not daring to speak up. Kylfe had been attacked by Marlind primarily because they had been doing so well. Mikleo had always attributed it to luck and good leadership, but maybe the luck had been the domain of a seraph, and it had shattered them.

He shifted in place, eventually sliding the quiver off of his shoulder. “What happened to them?

“Mother took them in. It’s not in us to watch humans suffer. It’ll be a shock, but it’s better than then alternatives.”

Mikleo huffed, shaking his head. He was sure that most of the people from Kylfe had been killed and some must have scattered into the winds and villages close by. He had a feeling that the people who had ended up with Sorey’s mother were far better off than any of the others. They would be cared for and not left to suffer or kept as outsiders.

He glanced around at the vague areas that Sorey had pointed out. “So, where’s yours?”

Sorey patted the stones he sat on. “This shrine to the edge of the forest.”

Mikleo bit his lip, considering the distance. Compared to the others it was small, just like what Sorey was doing. Keeping up the shrine was important, but it was barely a distraction. It was more like a gilded cage. Mikleo suddenly felt that he understood, because he had his own. Sorey’s came with an invisible boundary that he kept up and his would come with a golden ring.

He brushed his fingers over the carvings on the bow, turning his head to look at them. His gaze lingered on the tangle of letters and symbols. Mikleo brushed his thumb over the one closest to it, cocking his head to the side when Sorey made a soft sound. Mikleo looked up at him, feeling a blush spread across his face at the fond smile that he saw Sorey giving him. “What?”

“The bow suits you.” If Sorey was embarrassed by what he said, it didn’t show.

Mikleo was sure that his own blush only got deeper, but he refused to acknowledge it. He shifted his hold on the bow, looking at it before holding it out to Sorey. “Atakk found it. It’s too beautiful to just be a hunting bow.”

Sorey reached out to touch it, but he didn’t take it. He ran his hands over the grip, feeling out the letters and symbols. “It was a gift to one of Gramps’s wives. It has her name and a message. And this…” Sorey tapped the symbol by Mikleo’s thumb. He started to sketch out the shape, Mikleo watching carefully.

“A human,” which was a half-moon shape, “held within the wings of a dragon,” a large and stylized V-shape, “and circled by a ring to show the union.” Sorey motioned in a half circle shape that enclosed human and dragon. “It’s on everything if you look hard enough, because everything left was a gift.”

Mikleo weighed the bow in his hands before shaking his head. “Why did they leave it?”

“Because they’re coming back…eventually. Besides, I don’t think that Medea would mind you using it. It’s better than it just rotting away.”

Mikleo leaned the bow against the dais, keeping his hand on it to make sure that it didn’t start falling and crack. The ruin was filled with such gifts and memories and it was hard to imagine anyone just leaving something so precious. That just showed how desperate they had been. And to not know when they were coming back was equally as horrifying. It had happened to the seraphim and Mikleo could all too easily imagine it happening to Ladylake, except he didn’t know where they would go.

To Sorey was the first answer that came to him, but that wouldn’t save anything. The people of Ladylake were more likely to kill Sorey than to thank him.

Mikleo swallowed and looked back at Sorey. He had to tell the seraph about what they would do once they were separated, except the words wouldn’t come. He met Sorey’s gaze just in time to see Sorey’s smile fade. In that moment, whether it was just a story or not, he was sure that Sorey read his mind.

The seraph sighed and stretched out his right wing. Mikleo watched at it moved smoothly without a hitch. Sorey gave it a hard shake, his silver feathers shining bright. “I’m going to take a test flight today, just to see how it feels. If everything is good then…tomorrow?”

There was no doubting the question in Sorey’s voice. There was an offer, one that was very tempting, except that he was very aware that he was standing in a ruin. If he didn’t do something, then a ruin was all that Ladylake would be.

He took a deep breath, but he was almost relieved when Sorey spoke up first. “I feels like a storm. You should get inside before it blows in. Storms blow fiercely up here.”

Mikleo looked up at the clouds. He could see the edges of darker clouds on the horizon. He couldn’t tell if they were moving fast enough to be a threat, but he trusted Sorey. Besides, it meant that he would have more time to figure out what to say. It would give him one more chance to really convince himself of what he had to do. He was not about to be so selfish to indulge his own whims.

He grabbed the bow and quiver, not bothering to sling the latter over his shoulder. He held them both tightly as he made his way over the rubble. He kept his gaze firmly on the ground ahead of him until he got back to solid footing. Mikleo took a deep breath, tempted to look back over at Sorey, but he stopped himself. He couldn’t keep tormenting the both of them like this. He was going back to Ladylake and it would be better for the both of them if he didn’t keep tempting them.

Mikleo tightened his hold on the bow, glancing down at the symbol of the union between the dragon and his wife. He tried to ignore the pang of want, because he couldn’t allow it. He had given his word and he had to hold to that. He had to or else he was sure that he would crumble and give in.

He took a deep breath and looked up, losing his battle with himself. Mikleo looked over his shoulder at where Sorey was sitting small and alone on the side of the ruin. He turned slightly before he could stop himself, but he didn’t allow himself to go any further. He stared at the seraph for a moment more, working to push the heartache down before turning and walking back into his rooms.

* * *

Thunder rumbled loud over the mountain. Mikleo stared up from the ceiling of his room, listening to the storm. It seemed like it was hovering over the mountain, like it was being called by Lord Zenrus himself. Except that Lord Zenrus was gone with the rest of his family, leaving behind the shrine and all of their possessions.

Mikleo sighed and rolled to his other side. He stared at the bow that he had propped up against one of the chairs in his room. Atakk hadn’t shown up to take the bow from him. Mikleo assumed that it was a sign of trust. Atakk didn’t think that he would walk into Sorey’s room and shoot him dead. That just made him feel worse, because he hadn’t managed to talk to Sorey about the problem. He hadn’t managed to convince Sorey to keep safe.

He huffed and pressed his head back against the pillow. Maybe Atakk knew that too, because the Normin had avoided him. There had been food left out, but no sign of Sorey or Atakk. That made all the sense in the world, because Sorey was probably avoiding him because of what they had talked about.

They had never broached the subject directly, but it had been clear that they were talking about Mikleo going back to Ladylake, and what that would mean. Atakk was probably just mad that Mikleo and failed. Mikleo was mad at himself too, because it was just a simple task, but he hadn’t managed to do it. It was just another sign of how far he was straying from his plan.

It was a good plan, it kept the people he cared about safe and his city safe. But it would hurt Sorey, and that was unforgivable. Mikleo didn’t know when that had started to matter, but it had, and there was no changing that.

Mikleo trailed his fingers over the edge of the blanket before throwing it back. He was restless, a kind of restlessness that couldn’t be solved by reading. He needed to move, no matter where he suspected his feet would take him. Mikleo didn’t even know where Sorey was, but he was sure that he wouldn’t stop walking until he found the seraph. He had to talk to Sorey, to make sure that he left the seraph safe. And, if these were his last few days with Sorey, or even his last night with him, he wasn’t going to waste his time lying around in bed.

Mikleo padded out of his room, giving the hallway a wary glance for Atakk. The Normin would probably be back to his old attitude, not that Mikleo could blame him. But the Normin was nowhere to be seen, which meant that he had a brief respite.

He moved silently through the halls, the silence pressing down around him. It was what the older parts of Ladylake felt like in the early hours; the old parts of the libraries, the old foundations of the city – the ones that had been called up by the Lady of the Lake herself - and the old catacombs. Mikleo shivered at the last thought, wrapping his arms around himself.

He glanced nervously at the carvings, not bothering to do more than glance quickly at them. The ruin didn’t have ghosts, Mikleo was sure of that. Or, at least, the ruin didn’t have the conventional ghosts. It was weighed down with memories. The walls were quick to give up their side of the story, but the rest was silence because all of the seraphim and people who had loved the place were gone. Mikleo reached up to give a carving a pat as he passed, continuing his climb upwards.

He made his way to the top of the ruin, keeping up his steady pace. Mikleo didn’t bother to peek into their usual haunts, something pulling him onward. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but something in his gut kept him moving upward. He could always check the usual places again on the way down. Something was pulling him upwards, towards the sound of the storm.

He stepped into the main shine, Mikleo shivering at the gust of wind through the hole in the side of the ruin. He turned away from the hole, looking over at the statues at the far end. For a moment, it looked like it was glowing with the power of the storm. Mikleo sucked a quick breath, giving into the urge to kneel.

In Ladylake they primarily worshipped the Lady of the Lake, a legendary seraph who had raised the foundations of a ruined city at the request of a brave prince. The shrinechurch was decorated with her image and titles, but there was plenty of space for other seraphim. Any seraphim willing to hear the pleas of humans was welcome in desperate times, and always had a candle or a stick of incense burning for them. If none of the other seraphim would listen then there were the four Great Lords, but Mikleo assumed that all of them were sleeping now too. It was enough to make him wonder how many of the seraphim that they had prayed to were still awake or even still alive.

Mikleo took a deep breath, ducking his head as he clasped his hands together. He knew the rote prayers by heart. He’d followed Muse around the church enough to get the practice with them. Then again, none of them seemed to apply to his situation. To the best of his knowledge, none of the prayers had anything to do with praying for the safety of the seraphim. Instead, he just bent his head until it was resting against his hands. “Please…”

He wasn’t sure what he was asking for, aside from just to keep Sorey safe. Either he wanted help staying on the course he had agreed to or to give him a sign otherwise. Sometimes seraphim worked in mysterious ways and would give signs. But he wasn’t surprised when he didn’t get anything. The seraphim were too busy looking after their own.

Mikleo got to his feet, jumping when a crack of lightning illuminated the room. He stared at the snarl-grin of the statue, taking a step back. The thing still looked part-human, part-dragon and it chilled him to the bone. He rubbed his hands on his arms before stumbling over to where the hole in the wall was.

He carefully climbed over the rubble, taking care to stay close to the wall. The wind whipped past him, pushing the cold rain under the roof of the outside area. A good part of it landed on him, splattering on his sleeve among the swirls embroidered there. Mikleo halfheartedly brushed it off, his attention on his footing and the raging storm. One slip would have him tumbling over the edge, and with no dragon to catch him this time.

Mikleo reached out to touch the wall to steady himself. Mikleo took the chance to tuck himself against the wall. He took his little bit of shelter, Mikleo looking out at the storm. It was too dark to see, at least until the next flash of lightning, and each one had him flinching back against the wall.

It was silly to be out in the open during the storm, but something called him there.

Mikleo swallowed and carefully stepped up onto the dais. It was deeper back in the mountain than the rest of the outside portion, so kept him out of the worst of the storm. His fingers drifted over the wall, quickly finding the rises and dips of a carving. He turned his head to look at it during flashes of lightening. It almost looked like the person raising the sword above their head was moving, reaching up towards the seraph coming down. The seraph had the same face as the one from the large statue in the main room, except this one looked more human. Mikleo could see bits of Sorey in the seraph’s face. It made him wonder if this human was Sorey’s grandmother, or if it was another one of Zenrus’ wives. Mikleo vaguely remembered running across Zenrus’ name in a record, but he hadn’t paid must attention to it because there’d been no real connection. Now he wished he had.

He reached up, having to go onto his tiptoes to touch the symbol hanging from the human’s neck. If he hadn’t know better, he would have thought that it was a representation of the Shepherd. It was how the Shepherd had always been portrayed. They were always triumphant with their sword aloft, except the dragon was usually under their feet. But the symbol made this different, it meant that they had been loved and cherished. It meant that there had been a partnership.

Mikleo tipped his head to the side, wondering if the marriage went well. It was enough to make him wonder if the person was still alive as a seraph or if any of their children were still alive. For all he knew, a Shepherd had taken care of that two thousand years ago.

He shuddered and dropped his hand down. He stared at the mural, taking in the scene of joy before turning away.

Sorey wasn’t there, which meant that he had to keep moving.

He turned away, stopping short when he heard a rumble. Mikleo thought it was thunder, except that it grew into a crescendo. Mikleo pressed himself against the wall as the sound leapt into a roar that echoed with a peal of thunder. Sorey followed soon after.

Mikleo’s heart pounded with the thunder as Sorey shot past. His silver feathers glittered in the flashes of lightening and the dark blue matched the dark sky, making Sorey look like a creature only partially there, a creature of the lightning and the night. Mikleo felt like his breath was taken away, but not by fear. There was hardly any of that left. There was just awe.

He took a step forward, watching as Sorey beat his way upwards toward the top of the mountain. Mikleo scrambled for a better hold on the stone so he could lean out and watch. Sorey roared again, the sound twining with the thunder.

Mikleo pulled himself back to the wall, hiding against it. The wind drove the rain against his face, but Mikleo still stared, waiting for Sorey to pass by again. The dragon didn’t, but Mikleo could hear his roaring into the thunder from the top of the mountain.

He reached up to wipe the rain off his face with his sleeve. He peered into the night before making a decision. He wouldn’t be able to see too much without getting closer to the edge, and that seemed to be too dangerous. The best place to catch another glimpse of Sorey without the chance of tumbling off the edge would be the top of the mountain.

He reached back to the wall, scrambling at a better hold on the wall and he turned. Mikleo slipped on the slick stone. He curled his hand on the wall, hauling himself up again. He dropped his gaze to the ground, watching it through the flashes of lightning as he ran.

He lunged for the rubble by the door, hauling himself back into the shrine. He stumbled as he hit the floor on the other side, Mikleo having to reach back to brace himself against the rocks. He took quick breaths, looking around the ruin. The statue on the other side of the room still glowed with an almost otherworldly light, but Mikleo’s attention didn’t linger too long on it. A peal of thunder spurred him on, Mikleo pushing away from the rubble and stumbling into a run. He didn’t bother checking the floor as he went, he knew the path to the stairs was stable. He just had to get to the stairs and, from there, he’d get a better view of everything. A better view of Sorey.

Mikleo sprinted up the steps, panting for breath as he ran. He skipped steps as he went, hopping over every other one as he focused on the top of the staircase. He almost brained himself on the part of the staircase that had collapsed, Mikleo ducking at the last minute.

He reached up to push at the stone, driving himself onward. His gaze was focused on the end of the staircase, which was lit up by a flash of lightening. He felt like he was being pulled towards it, just like all those stories of enchanted places. He was sure that he should be worried, but he was beyond caring. He wanted to get to the top of the mountain. He wanted to see Sorey.

He reached out to brace himself against the sides of the stairwell, grasping at the protrusions of the wall. When the thunder sounded again he could hear Sorey’s roar in it, and something in him called out as well.

Mikleo sprinted up the rest of the stairs, stumbling when he reached the end of the stairs. He stepped out into the open, gasping as the cold rain fell on him. It soaked him in seconds, Mikleo reaching up absently to push his bangs out of the way. He peered into the night, turning at another roar.

He found Sorey practically hanging in the air. The dragon was straining upward, like he was trying to climb higher into the clouds. Then lightening arched down.

Mikleo meant to scream a warning, but the words got caught in his throat as the lightening twisted and danced around Sorey. It looked like the ribbons that dancers would use during the Sacred Blade Festival. It sparked along his feathers, making them puff and give off an unearthly glow.

Then the lightening was gone, but Sorey was still winging his way across the sky.

Mikleo pivoted to watch him, Sorey powering through the wind and rain with no hesitation. Sorey rolled in the air, twisting and turning playfully. The lightning flashed down, but never straight to the ground. Instead, it turned towards Sorey without fail. It twisted and twined around him in a way that could only be called playful. Sorey gave his own back, clawing and snapping at the lightening. Even in play, it looked awe inspiring.

With the glow around him and the lightening coming unerringly towards him, Mikleo could easily see why the humans had worshipped the seraphim. They were forces of nature, beings worthy of worship and admiration. It was enough to make Mikleo want to fall to his knees and offer up a prayer, but he didn’t have the words. He just had the titles that he knew from hearing Atakk and from looking in the books in his room.

Atakk called him Bright Thunder and Little Lightening. Mikleo had spent hours parsing that out from Atakk’s accent and struggling with a living ancient tongue. The few humans that had known him before the twilight of the seraphim had called him Lord Tuirenn. He had called him Sorey after some mostly forgotten historian. It didn’t feel like enough now, but Sorey had smiled at it, and Mikleo had never wanted to call him anything else.

Mikleo cupped his hands around his mouth, waiting out the next rumble of thunder before shouting. “SOREY!”

He expected his call to be lost to the wind, but Sorey twisted towards him. The last of the lightening slipped off him as he banked, the lightening crackling down in its natural pattern.

Sorey touched down a good distance away from him. He shook himself again, more rain than sparks coming off of him this time. Mikleo expected Sorey to head over, but the dragon gave him a long look with familiar green eyes. Mikleo took a step towards him, surprised when Sorey’s gaze flicked away. Then he was alight with silver flame.

It burned brightly despite the rain, the last of it coming away in a shower of small tongues of flame as Sorey stepped forward. He shook out his wings, water and silver flame trailing down his feathers and onto the ground. Once Mikleo would have watched the fire as it burned unnaturally, but now he couldn’t look away from Sorey.

The seraph folded his wings against his back, both of them moving without hesitation or a hitch. Mikleo let his gaze linger on the right one a little longer before looking at the seraph himself.

The lightning might not have been able to touch Sorey, but the rain had. The seraph was soaked through with his hair plastered down. His bangs partially hid his eyes, but it couldn’t mask how they sparkled with his smile.

The smile stole the words that Mikleo had been trying to string together away. It didn’t matter, because he hadn’t figured out a way to make them make sense. All that he knew was that he wanted.

He wanted this like he had wanted to go to the university in Marlind, and then to stay there. He wanted this like he had wanted to work with his uncle in the royal library. He wanted this like he wanted to see the world that was too dangerous to travel.

He wanted the ruin, the mountain and Sorey. Dragon or seraph, it didn’t matter. He just wanted, so much that it hurt.

Mikleo opened his mouth, already forming Sorey’s name before he stopped.

It was just like Marlind and his childish plans to see the world. This was something he could not have, not without hurting everyone that he cared about. But he could do one thing, just take one small thing. In Marlind it had been a final walk around the city. He might not be able to travel, but he could at least read about the world.

He might not be able to have Sorey and the wonder that was the seraph’s world, but he could at least take a little something for himself and give something to Sorey. One, bright moment that they could hold on to for the rest of their lives.

Sorey practically bounded over to him, his smile as bright as the glow that still faintly surrounded him.

“Mikleo, I-”

Mikleo didn’t give him a chance to finish. He reached out and grabbed onto Sorey’s shoulders, pulling him close. Sorey went with a yelp, his eyes going wide so all Mikleo could see was green. He was drowning in it.

He slid his hand up into Sorey’s hair, digging his fingers into it. “Please…I don’t want…I need…”

He paused just long enough to see Sorey’s gaze flicker and slip into something like acceptance. It was all he permission that he needed to finish pulling Sorey close to kiss him.

* * *

Rain pattered on the outside of the tent, Michael frowning at it. He glanced over his shoulder at where Muse was curled up on her bedroll. She looked like she was finally sleeping, which was enough for him to send a prayer up to the seraphim. Rest was something that Muse sorely needed. Save for Malfore, she had been the one pushing the hardest.

Michael watched her for a moment more before dropping to a crouch at the front of the tent. He peered out into the rain and tried not to count the days. The longer that they were out, the longer that Mikleo was missing, which meant that their chances were getting worse.

He ran a hand over his face. They had made good time, if only because they’d seen the direction that the dragon had flown off in. It helped that all the records agreed that a dragon lived on the other side of the Aroundight Forest in the old ruins there and they had found some of the beads that Mikleo had worn. It hadn’t been a complete trail, but it had been something. If it weren’t for that they might have wondered the miles between Ladylake and the forest endlessly.

Malfore and Muse might not have given up, but Michael wasn’t so sure about the Squires. They owed their loyalty to Malfore, but that could only go so far. These were the Squires of a Shepherd who had never fought a dragon. Besides, Michael was sure that they all thought that Mikleo was dead.

Michael shuddered at the thought, drawing his cloak closer to him. He didn’t know what to think himself.

He had read all of the stories and records, and most said that the people that the dragons took were eaten. There were some that gave him some hope. Some stories told tale of people who had survived and came back to their families, only to be killed by them for a verity of reasons. Michael snorted at the idea.

They were too advanced to believe that dragons caused a disease of the soul called daemonblight. They were past believing that dragons turned people into monsters. It was just superstitious thinking, and maybe a bit of hope. Their loved ones might not be eaten, just turned into a monster. At least then they were still alive. Michael didn’t know which one was worse.

He plucked at the front of his cloak before pulling up his hood. After so many days on the move it was hard to stay still. A quick walk around the camp would settle him down and reassure himself of their defenses. He knew nothing about how to set up a defensive camp, he trusted Malfore and his Squires to do the job right. But seeing the guards up and the camp settled in for the night was enough to soothe the nervous part of him that never quite quieted down.

Michael sunk back into his cloak as he stepped out of the tent and into the rain. It fell full force on him, Michael shivering and looking in the direction of the Aroundight Forest.

It was still half a day’s trek away, but that was still uncomfortably close. In their rush to leave he hadn’t gotten the time to see if there was a way to dupe the curse on the Aroundight Forest. There were ways to get around the forest itself, but those would take longer and they were running out of time.

Michael stomped his foot in the half-slush that the snow had become, frowning at it. There was already a good layer of snow that they had been breaking through, they didn’t need ice slowing them down as well. He sighed and raised his eyes skyward in a prayer. He didn’t know which seraphim would be the best to direct his prayers to, but they needed all the help they could get.

Michael stared at the sky before shaking his head. Muse had always been better at talking to the seraphim than he had. It’s why she had gone into the church. He had been happy enough with his books, they didn’t talk back or expect too much from him. He had been happy when his nephew had jointed him too. He’d been happy enough for Mikleo to forge ahead in his own life, because Michael was perfectly content to muddle along in his own way. But maybe he should have paid more attention.

He sighed and went to make his slow way around the camp when a flash of lightening illuminated a figure standing far beyond the camp. It didn’t take much to figure out that it was Malfore from the set of his shoulders and the clothes he wore. And he was without an escort of Squires. Michael stared out at Malfore, shaking his head even as the lightning faded away.

Malfore was a Shepherd, which meant that he could take care of himself. Then again, Michael didn’t know what Shepherd training meant now that most of them didn’t fight dragons anymore. Malfore and his Squires had nice enough swords, but that wasn’t an indication of use.

Michael shook his head and started towards Malfore. He sank calf deep in the slush as he walked, the cold of it sinking into his boots. Michael shivered, sparing a glance at the dark sky before he came to a stop beside Malfore. “It’s dangerous to be out here alone, Shepherd.”

Malfore chuckled. “I’m not afraid of dragons.”

“There’s more out here than dragons.” Michael nodded in the direction of where the Kylfe waterfall was. They were too far away to hear it, even without the steady rainfall.

“And I’m prepared.” Malfore patted his sword, Michael sure that he saw a smile flit across Malfore’s face. “Ladylake wanted me for more than just my title.”

“That wouldn’t stop some of them.”

“That won’t stop my family either. As long as our deal stands, my family will help your city.” Malfore paused, his head tipping to the side. “To me, that doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting Mikleo back. He is…everything.”

Michael gave Malfore a long look. The man looked like a dandy, like the kind of man that people would fawn over by had no substance himself. His sweeping statements might have made anyone blush, but they worried Michael. He cleared his throat, carefully meeting Malfore’s gaze. “You don’t know him.”

“No, but I’m eager to learn.” Malfore rested his wrist on the pommel of his sword. “My ambassadors told me such wonderful things about him, and I was half in love with him at his first portrait. With everything that I’ve been told, I know this match is a good one.”

Michael pressed his lips together to keep from speaking. He didn’t know what those ambassadors had told Malfore or whether Malfore was just being willfully ignorant. All he knew was that he wasn’t about to disabuse Malfore of that notion, not when he was the only way to get Mikleo back.

From what Michael had seen, he was sure that the two of them would never get along. Mikleo was quiet and independent, he would fight back if Malfore tried to mold him into whatever image Malfore had created of him.

Malfore was all ostentation and show. Malfore wore his title of Shepherd just as openly as he wore his family name and the power that came with it. He didn’t care of history aside from what glories it could bring to him. Malfore needed adoration and practically mindless praise to survive, something that Mikleo would never do. Malfore would get nothing but sharp wit and impatience from Mikleo in response to his actions, which would drive him mad.

They weren’t a suitable match, they never had been. Michael still wasn’t sure how it had slipped past them, but maybe that was the point. Michael could see the way things would run, especially after relations between Marlind and Ladylake had broken down and Kylfe had been attacked. Ladylake needed allies, and there were very few things that Ladylake could lure them in with. It made Michael want to curse, because it was a conclusion that bothered him.

He and Muse had come from practically nothing. Their parents had lived in a small town within the bounds of Ladylake’s influence where his parents had worked in window glass; their father had excelled at the colored glass that most shrinechurches begged for while their mother skillfully ran the business. It was only because of their skill that he and Muse had been able to do what they had wanted. Contacts in the church had meant that Muse didn’t languish with the rest of the poorer priests and his own education had come as the price for an intricate piece of work done at the Marlind University. Any of their personal influence came from their hard work, Muse through her place in the church and Michael from his position so close to the princess.

He sighed and looked over at Malfore, considering him again. He wanted to see something other than failure for Mikleo’s future, but it was hard to see past all the fine clothing and grand gestures. “Would it have worked?”

Malfore nodded, his gaze going distant. “My parents had an arranged marriage. It was rough for the first few years, but they figured it out and grew in love. They are happier than most of their friends and other love matches. Those have separated but my mother and father remain. It’s a lesson I will take for myself. Marriage is a coming together, compromises and learning how to be each other’s comfort. That is what I will bring to this first and foremost.” Mikleo lifted his free hand to gesture vaguely. “And everything else too. But Mikleo comes first because I love him, I truly do.”

Michael looked hard at Malfore, searching for any kind of falsehood. He would expect if from someone in the Forton family. That kind of power and prestige had to come with some lies, but Michael couldn’t find anything of that in Malfore. He might be stretching the truth and overplaying some parts, but the base was there. There was determination there, something that could be good or bad. Michael wasn’t sure which was it would swing, but he hoped that it would be turned in support for Mikleo for his nephew’s sake. If Malfore was inflexible, then he wouldn’t get his strong marriage, he would get nothing but fighting.

He shifted in place, watching Malfore out of the corner of his eye. He almost wished that he had Muse’s almost magical ability to read people without a problem. He just saw a grand young man with equally grand titles. Michael turned his gaze away, looking ahead at where the forest would be. It was hard to see it in the rain, but Michael had stared at the maps enough on the trip to know the general direction.

The Aroundight Forest was a huge swath of black on those maps, cutting off the Guest Mountains from the rest of the civilizations on the foothills and plains. It wouldn’t stop a dragon, but it would stop plenty of other creatures and people. Then again, Michael was sure that no one from Rolance would think about climbing that side of the Guest Mountains and then making their way through them to get to Ladylake. The easiest way into Hyland was through Glaivend Basin, which meant that Marlind was constantly feeling under threat. It was no wonder that they would sometimes send out raiding parties, just to keep their soldiers in good shape.

Michael squinted through the rain, giving up quickly. He rocked back on his heels, his attention going to Malfore when the man sighed.

Malfore tapped at the top of his pommel before shaking his head. “I hope you don’t think me a coward.”

“Why?” The word escaped before Michael could temper it. It was the kind of thing that Muse would have pinched him for, but his sister wasn’t there to correct him. Instead he just found himself staring at Malfore as the Shepherd shifted.

It took Malfore some time to gather his words together, the Shepherd suddenly looking small and young. “When the dragon attacked I just stood there and stared. As a Shepherd, it’s my duty to protect people from them, but I couldn’t move.”

Michael raised a shoulder in a shrug, not quite sure how to respond. “No one has seen a dragon for thousands of years. You can’t be blamed for that.”

“But Muse ran into the lake without hesitation and you followed.”

“I don’t think she was really thinking about the dragon. She was thinking about Mikleo.”

“As was I, but I couldn’t _move_.”

Michael stared at Malfore. He knew that he should do something to comfort him, but what was beyond him. Mikleo had always needed a steady shoulder to lean on or someone to listen while he worked through a problem. If it was anything worse, he had gone to Muse. Michael now felt bad about feeling relief for that, because maybe if he had supported Mikleo more he wouldn’t have felt like he had to do this. As it was, it just left him standing next to Malfore.

He finally just nodded. “I don’t think Muse will blame you, or Mikleo. This will more than make up for it, especially since I doubt Mikleo thought that anyone was coming after him.”

He wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to say, but Malfore nodded anyway. Michael wasn’t sure if he was just hoping that Malfore looked relieved or the man actually was. He wasn’t sure his words were actually comforting at all. He was sure that they wouldn’t have helped Muse, but he wouldn’t have to tell her. She was so focused on getting Mikleo back that he wouldn’t have to, at least until they reached a point where getting him back was impossible. Michael wasn’t sure that he would have the words for that then either.

Michael rubbed his arms under his cloak. That eventual end would come once they figured out a way to continue forward. Malfore would want to press on and Muse would just encourage him. He glanced back at the camp, hoping to see one of the Squires standing around, but they were all tucked away in their ornate tents. There was probably one waiting for Malfore to return, and they would be disappointed. Michael was sure that Malfore would stand out in the open all night, cold and rain be damned.

He shifted in place before giving up. He wasn’t good at tact, and the cold didn’t encourage him to practice it. Michael grabbed onto his cloak, resettling it around himself. “We’re coming up on the forest. Do you know what we’re going to do?”

“I’m going to look for the beacon. It should be there.”

Michael stared at Malfore, amazed by his confidence. He’d never met Mikleo, but he was sure that there would be a beacon. It seemed like too much of a stretch for Michael, especially with everything that was at stake.

“What if it isn’t?”

Malfore gave him a sharp look. “It will be there. If it isn’t, then the dragon will suffer for what it took from me. But…we will go around the forest then. There won’t be any need to hurry.” Malfore turned away, his shoulders slumping. “I promised to bring Mikleo home, and I will, even if it’s just his bones.”

A chill ran down Michael’s spine. He took a step away from Malfore, fighting the urge to run back to Muse. It had been what he had done as a child, and he couldn’t do it now. He was sure she would demand to know what was wrong, and the idea that Mikleo could be dead would destress her. She’s probably just charge forward, never mind the rain and the danger of the forest. Michael was sure that he would be just behind her. Malfore would have to race them to kill the dragon then.

He swallowed and looked ahead into the rain. He could feel it starting to sink into his cloak and run down the back of his neck, which meant that it was past the time for him to go back into the tent. Besides, Muse might wake up at any minute and come looking for him. Michael was not about to chase her off for trying to cling, not after what happened to Mikleo.

His thoughts were interrupted by a long sigh from Malfore. The Shepherd shook his head, reaching up to push his hair back. It was only then that he seemed to realize what the weather was like.

Malfore cupped his hand, sighing when water immediately gathered in it. The Shepherd dumped his hand out. “It’ll have to wait until tomorrow then. We’ll arrive in plenty of time to figure out how to tackle the forest. I do plan to send Marcella back to Ladylake tomorrow morning to report our progress and to prepare things. We don’t want them to be worried, or have us have to wait for something, especially if Mikleo needs it. I’ll tell them to avoid discussing anything as soon as we get back. Mikleo will probably need the time to adjust.”

Michael breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t expected a delay, at least not from how Malfore was talking. Actual love or just lust, it sounded like Malfore wanted to marry Mikleo as soon as possible. That he would give them the time was wonderful because there was no telling what condition Mikleo would be in when they got him back. For all they knew, he would be injured and need the time to recover. Better yet, it would give him and Muse the time to talk to Mikleo.

If Mikleo was willing to move forward with it, then it was a good chance for Mikleo and Malfore to actually get to know each other. Maybe Malfore would be right then, they just needed the time to talk before the marriage blossomed. Michael would hold his judgement until then.

He just nodded, taking a step back. “Thank you. You’ve been more than kind.”

“No, you have.” Malfore turned to smile at him. “Ladylake has been more than welcoming from the wedding to include our traditions to full support for this mission. If it had been Pendrago, I would have been told to let my darling go.” Malfore swayed in place before lowering my voice. “Trevor has probably already written back to my mother to tell her what’s going on. I think that he’s only my Squire because he’s my cousin.”

Michael nodded like he knew what was going on. The Squires that followed after Malfore all seemed the same to him. They all stayed silent while they were riding along or while they were sent out to scout for a better trail to follow. Any information was brought right back to Malfore, and he would convey it to them. The Squires didn’t seem to pay any attention to the two of them, whether it was because they were focused on their task or nervous about facing a dragon. Michael was sure that none of them had actually thought that they were going to face a dragon. The entire world had thought that they were dead. Knowing that, a Squire seemed to be a safe enough job.

He glanced back at Malfore, surprised when Malfore turned back to head into camp. His steps lagged but it was a good sign. Michael was quick to turn and follow after him, quickly falling into step with the Shepherd. It wasn’t hard with the mess of the snow, the two of them practically had to lean against each other to stay upright. Malfore didn’t seem to be bothered by it, his gaze was fixed somewhere in the distance. Michael watched him carefully for a moment before looking ahead to the tents.

He wouldn’t complain if Malfore’s thoughts were solely on Mikleo, it just meant that his devotion was real. Michael was sure that it was the kind of thing that would touch Muse more than him. He was just too naturally suspicious to really believe everything that Malfore was saying.

Michael cleared his throat, nodding ahead of them. “I think you’ll have trouble waiting for you if your cousin did write back to your family. They might not be happy with waiting.”

Malfore snorted, waving his hand dismissively. “They will have to deal with it. My family has kept careful control of me all my life, they can give me this. Trevor can write all the letters he wants.” Malfore set his jaw, staring ahead into the camp with a look of determination. “None of that will matter, what my family says or the amount of time. I’ll be willing to wait, because I’m sure that it won’t hurt anything at all. If anything, it will make things all the better. The longer the wait the sweeter things will be, and I am certain that Mikleo will wait for me.”

* * *

Mikleo shoved Sorey back onto the bed, following him down even before the seraph had time to adjust. He thought he heard Sorey laugh, but the sound was quickly smothered as he leaned back in for another kiss. Sorey met him eagerly, Mikleo humming as Sorey’s fingers slid into his hair.

Sorey’s nails scraped against his scalp and trailed down to the back of his neck, Mikleo shivering and try to move closer. He didn’t want any space between them, he wanted to be as close as possible. He wanted to feel every heartbeat, every breath, every bit of heat from Sorey. Mikleo was sure that he could still feel the sparks from the lightening coming off of Sorey, but he wasn’t about to stop. He couldn’t think of one thing that could convince him to.

He curled his fingers into Sorey’s shirt, clinging to it tightly. Mikleo was vaguely aware that he was shoving Sorey further back into the bed, but he didn’t care, not when Sorey was opening his mouth to him again. Mikleo took the invitation, his eyes fluttering shut as Sorey’s tongue slid beside his.

It was utter bliss, far better than the mess or whatever the romances described it as. They were right about one thing, that it was easy to get lost in it. Mikleo only remembered that he had to breathe when his chest started aching with it.

He pulled away just far enough to gasp for breath, Mikleo resting his forehead against Sorey’s. He opened his eyes to Sorey’s blissed out smile, Mikleo not sure if he responded with his own. He was too busy gasping for breath to continue kissing Sorey. It was the only thing that he could think to do.

Mikleo shuddered at the brush of Sorey’s hands down his back. He arched into the touch, trying to keep Sorey in contact with him as long as possible. The touch was amazing, but Mikleo couldn’t help but think that it would feel better without his clothes on.

He swallowed hard at the thought, his gaze darting back to Sorey’s face. He was almost relived to see the same nervousness on Sorey’s face. Mikleo stared down at the seraph before sitting up.

He paused when Sorey sighed, tipping his head to the side when Sorey propped himself up on his elbows. Mikleo reached down to trace his fingers over the curve of Sorey’s cheek. “Where are you going?”

Sorey shook his head, resettling himself in the bed. “If you don’t want me here…”

“I do.” Mikleo leaned forward to kiss him, taking his time to savor the contact.

It took Sorey a moment to warm up again, Mikleo sighing when Sorey finally responded. He wanted to sink back into Sorey and just enjoy the kiss, but Sorey’s hands were roaming again, and Mikleo couldn’t stop thinking about how they’d feel on his bare skin.

Mikleo pulled away with one last kiss, reaching down for the hem of his shirt. He barely got his fingers around it before Sorey was sliding his hands under the fabric from behind.

He arched at the first touch, a gasp escaping him. Sorey’s hands were warm, calloused and steady on his back. Mikleo shivered as they inched their way up, Sorey’s fingers tracing a line either side of his spine. Behind them they left a slight chill, but it was enough to lean back into Sorey’s hands, chasing the warmth.

Mikleo bit his lip on a whimper, not aware that he was curling his fingers into Sorey’s shirt until Sorey made a soothing sound. Sorey sat up, the move making Mikleo slide into his lap. Mikleo sucked in a quick breath as the hardness that he felt underneath him, but it was hard to concentrate on that one thing while Sorey’s hands were moving and his lips were so close. Mikleo leaned in, hovering just short of Sorey’s lips as Sorey’s hands continued to move.

They traced distracting patterns on his back, but Sorey never seemed to be moving them anywhere purposefully. Mikleo frowned, reaching back to touch one of Sorey’s wrists. “Sorey?”

The touch must have startled him because Sorey froze. His fingers twitched on Mikleo’s back and his wings flared. Mikleo leaned back to avoid them, his gaze lingering on the feathers. They were still soaked through and clinging together in clumps of blue and silver. Mikleo swallowed as he stared at the wing closest to him, watching as the wing twisted before resettling against Sorey’s back. Then Sorey was leaning away, leaving Mikleo cold.

Mikleo whimpered, reaching back to grab a better hold on Sorey’s wrist before he could slip completely away. From the way that Sorey jerked away from his slightly, he would have pulled away completely. Mikleo frowned, watching as Sorey shifted before the seraph pressed his wings back against his back. There was a shushing noise as Sorey’s tail moved. Mikleo tipped his head to the side, watching as Sorey’s tail curled back around him.

Sorey murmured an apology, the sound of it enough to make Mikleo look back up at him. He swallowed at the look on Sorey’s face. The seraph looked distant, something in Mikleo rebelling at it. He didn’t want Sorey pulling away, not when he could still feel the thunder echoing through his bones and the sparks that came off of Sorey.

He frowned and tried to lean in, huffing when he was stopped by a hand pressed firmly against his chest. Mikleo was tempted to push against it and go after Sorey’s mouth again, but he held himself back. He settled himself in to watch Sorey’s face.

It was hard to tell what the seraph was thinking, especially when the glow from the walls threw shadows on Sorey’s face. It made him look older and made the power that sat on him more noticeable. Mikleo took a deep breath, sure that some of his thought process must have shown on his face. That was enough to get Sorey’s expression to soften.

Sorey lifted his hand from Mikleo’s chest, brushing his knuckles gently across Mikleo’s cheek. Mikleo turned his head to the side to kiss Sorey’s knuckles. He shuddered as Sorey’s hand opened up, his fingers brushing along his skin. He sighed and leaned into Sorey’s hand, looking back to Sorey’s expression.

The seraph looked more like himself now, although the wide eyed look was new. Mikleo liked it on Sorey, so much so that he wanted to keep it there. It was just as good as the one filled with wonder. Mikleo couldn’t decide which one he liked the best, and he didn’t want to waste time thinking it out.

He nuzzled into Sorey’s palm, holding onto his gaze. Mikleo smiled as Sorey visible swallowed, the seraph’s fingers twitching against the side of his face. Sorey shifted in place, Mikleo biting his lip at the motion. He didn’t bother to stop himself from grinding down on Sorey. He was surprised when Sorey shook his head, the seraph going still.

“Mikleo, wait.”

Mikleo stopped, studying Sorey carefully. The seraph held his gaze for a moment before going back to shifting. Mikleo sucked in a quick breath, shaking as Sorey continued to shift. He bit his lip, focusing at a point over Sorey’s shoulder until the seraph stopped moving. Mikleo whimpered as he settled back into position on Sorey’s lap, still feeling the hardness against his ass. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. It was only then that he realized that Sorey had tucked his tail out of sight and his wings tight behind him.

He breathed out slowly, Mikleo closing his eyes for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved that anything that looked dragon-like was gone or because Sorey had stopped moving.

Sorey’s fingers moved across his cheek again. “Thank you.”

Mikleo just nodded, trying to regain his breath. It helped somewhat that Sorey just kept petting him, his fingers stroking along his cheek and his other hand moving back under Mikleo’s shirt. Mikleo sighed and leaned back into him, soaking in the point of warmth. It was a temporary fix for the desperate urge, but it wasn’t enough.

He made a ragged noise, Mikleo reaching forward to grab onto Sorey’s shirt. “Sorey…”

Sorey responded with a low rumble that Mikleo felt through his entire body. He let his head fall back, Mikleo feeling Sorey’s fingers slide from his cheek. He couldn’t help but grind his hips down, smiling up at the ceiling when he felt Sorey move with him.

He lifted his head slightly, giving a breathless laugh when he saw the look on Sorey’s face. The seraph had an unfocused look, but the hand on Mikleo’s back was starting to curl against him. Mikleo shuddered at the scrape of Sorey’s nails against his back. For a moment, they curled like claws, the sweet touch of pain making him squirm. It was good, so good that Mikleo just wanted to linger over it, but it wasn’t enough.

He wanted more. He wanted to taste Sorey again. He wanted the warmth of Sorey’s skin against his. He wanted to follow the driving beat of their hearts. He wanted to drown himself in Sorey and know nothing else.

Mikleo pulled himself upright again, leaning forward so he could rest his forehead against Sorey’s. He was greeted with another rumble. Mikleo took that to mean that Sorey was pleased, there was nothing else that made sense to him, not with the way that Sorey was still staring at him with awe. He huffed out something that could have been a laugh in response, but then he was leaning in to kiss Sorey again.

Sorey was more than amiable, the seraph tipping his head up to meet him. Mikleo carded his fingers into Sorey’s hair as he kissed him. He carefully avoiding the base of Sorey’s horns in favor of something that he knew. Sorey’s hair was soft between his fingers, the wet strands sliding easily.

He ran his hands down to Sorey’s neck, gasping as Sorey switched his hold on him. Mikleo murmured his approval into the kiss, letting his hands slide loose and easily down to the back of Sorey’s neck. His fingers tangled in the tie there, Mikleo absently playing with the ends as he chased after Sorey’s mouth.

It was easy to fall into a rhythm, the gentle motion of their lips against each other just as stimulating as the gentle rocking motion that Sorey urged him into. But there was no consuming haste, which was wonderful. Mikleo felt that he was content to just kiss Sorey, catching breaths when he needed to.

He combed his fingers against the tie at the back of Sorey’s neck, gasping when it came undone. Mikleo flicked the ends free of his fingers before pressing his palm against Sorey’s skin. It was just as warm as he thought it would be, and it just made him want to touch more.

Mikleo pulled his attention away from Sorey’s mouth, kissing down the side of his neck. Sorey moaned beautifully, tipping his head to the side.

Mikleo couldn’t help but nip at the skin revealed to him, pulling back just far enough to see it turning red before ducking back in to continue. He didn’t want to pull away for too long, not when Sorey was making soft noises of encouragement. Not when he wanted to trace the patterns that the rainwater had left on Sorey’s skin. He wanted to do so much that he felt pulled in different directions.

He paused long enough to push the top half of Sorey’s shirt aside before continuing to kiss his way down Sorey’s chest. He listened as Sorey groaned, having to shift forward as Sorey fell back onto his elbows. Mikleo swept his hands downward, bracing them on Sorey’s waist.

Mikleo leaned over, moaning as the move rocked him against Sorey. The pressure of sliding against Sorey was almost enough to make him forget what he was doing. Mikleo pressed his head against Sorey’s shoulder as he grinded against him. Sorey was quick to shift his hold, pressing Mikleo close to him.

Mikleo curled his fingers into Sorey’s skin. They sat there for a moment before Mikleo reached back around to try and find the ties at the back of Sorey’s shirt. He wanted it off, just like he wanted his own off, but Sorey’s was easier to deal with. He didn’t have to move away to get Sorey’s off.

He breathed out a laugh when he found one of the ties. Mikleo tugging hard on it, the tie slipping free. He reached down to find the others, tugging them free in quick succession. He thought he heard Sorey make a noise, but it was lost when Sorey shrugged his shirt off. Mikleo lifted his head just long enough to see it slide onto the bed before he went back to kissing his way down Sorey.

The broad plains of Sorey’s chest were worth exploring, especially with the way that Sorey twitched and squirmed like he was trying to get Mikleo to move to certain spots. Mikleo ignored the hints, continuing on his own path. There was a wealth of tan skin to explore, Mikleo faintly tasting salt with each kiss and nip. His hands paved the way before him, Mikleo pausing to idly roll a nipple between his fingers before his mouth caught up to it.

Sorey arched as Mikleo closed his lips around it, one hand moving up to press Mikleo’s head into place. Mikleo hummed his approval, his hands already skimming downward again.

He pressed his fingers into the dips and rises of Sorey’s muscles, feeling them shudder under his touch. Mikleo lifted his head slightly to take a quick breath before he refocused again. He ducked his head down, stopping short of Sorey’s skin to watch as his hands moved.

He’d never really gotten a good look at Sorey’s chest after that first day while cooking the prickleboar. He was almost disappointed him himself for that, because it was a thing of wonder. His hands rose and fell slightly in time with Sorey’s quick breaths. Mikleo was barely aware of making a soothing sound, but he was sure that it did nothing to help. He couldn’t lift his hands away, not when they were getting him to focus.

Sorey’s bare chest was interesting, because it was almost like what he was used to but there were fascinating differences. Mikleo turned his hand slightly to run it down Sorey’s side, his eyes watching as Sorey twitched at the touch. He swallowed and lightened his touch, following the line of a muscle. It wasn’t one he was familiar with and Mikleo was sure that it had something to do with Sorey’s wings. He was sure that a lot of Sorey’s muscle came from flying, but he couldn’t really focus too much on the specifics because of how good it looked. Mikleo swallowed, sweeping his hands down to Sorey’s hips before leaning forward.

He curled his fingers around the rise of Sorey’s hips, anchoring himself there as he kissed his way down Sorey’s chest. He felt the seraph twitch with each touch, Sorey making soft noises that he could just hear over the rush in his ears. Everything else had faded into the background, even the sound of the storm raging outside.

He took his time, paying Sorey’s body all its due reverence. Mikleo heard Sorey suck in a deep breath, glancing up at him.

Sorey’s pupils were blown, the seraph staring down at him with a focus that made him shiver. Mikleo moaned against Sorey’s stomach, feeling Sorey shudder.

Sorey shifted, Mikleo feeling the brief brush of a tail against his leg. He jerked it back, about to turn his head to see what was happening when Sorey reached down to card his fingers through his hair. The touch was enough to get him to stop, Mikleo leaning up into the touch before turning his attention back to business.

The next kiss had Sorey tightening his hold on Mikleo’s hair. Mikleo leaned into the soft pull, letting Sorey correct his course slightly before going back to his slow progress down Sorey’s torso. He was willing to take his time to give Sorey the proper attention. The ache from his own cock was a distant thought in his mind, especially when Sorey was being so vocal.

Mikleo scrapped his teeth across Sorey’s stomach, teasing a bit that make the seraph arch into him. Mikleo hummed and nuzzled into Sorey’s stomach. His fingers curled into Sorey’s pants, scratching at the skin underneath. That made Sorey jump, Mikleo smiling against Sorey’s skin.

He snuck a peek up at Sorey, watching as the seraph’s head fell backwards. Sorey started to sink down, one of his wings curling awkwardly against the wall while the other slid off the bed. Mikleo hummed against Sorey’s stomach, his chin bumping up against Sorey’s pants. He huffed in annoyance, curling his fingers around the tops of Sorey’s pants and started to tug them down.

He didn’t get far, Sorey yelping and scooting back. The move tugged his pants down further, Mikleo staring at him dumbly before he finally reacted.

Mikleo sat up, watching as Sorey practically scooted back to the head of the bed. Sorey’s feathers puffed up, Mikleo staring at them as he tried to figure out what it meant. There was too much body language that he didn’t know. It could mean anything.

He swallowed and sat back on his heels, watching as Sorey scrambled up. Mikleo expected Sorey to make an excuse and try to leave, but instead Sorey got up onto his knees. The seraph balanced there for a moment before inching forward.

Sorey reached out, carefully taking Mikleo’s hand. “Hold on just a moment, please. There’s something that I…I need to tell you.”

Mikleo studied Sorey’s face, letting out a breath of relief when he didn’t see fear or anything else that meant that Sorey was pulling away from him. It was a pause, not a stop. He shifted into a more comfortable position, smiling when Sorey squeezed his hands.

Sorey smiled at him, inching forward until his knees were on either side of Mikleo’s. Sorey leaned forward until their foreheads were touching, staying there for a second before he tipped his head for a quick peck on Mikleo’s lips, but he moved away before Mikleo could do anything else.

Mikleo frowned at him, the corner of his mouth twisting when Sorey just chuckled. “Just wait.”

He was tempted to say that he didn’t want to, because he’d done enough of that. He’d waited to go to Marlind, only to have that snatched away from him. He’d waited to become part of the library staff only to be shoved aside as the most junior member. He’d waited long enough for something good to happen for him, only for him to stumble into a marriage he did not want. He wasn’t going to wait for Sorey, because he knew how it would end.

Mikleo shifted in place, going still when Sorey blushed and looked away. The seraph had never seemed embarrassed before. Mikleo ducked his head, trying to meet Sorey’s gaze, but the seraph kept dodging him.

Sorey kept it long enough to start to annoy him before he finally turned back with a long sigh. “I’m not human, Mikleo.”

At a loss of what to do, Mikleo nodded slowly. It was something that was hard to forget, especially with Sorey’s wings, tail and horns. Mikleo’s gaze drifted to the top of Sorey’s head, surprised when Sorey reached up like he was going to try and hide his horns. The motion was surprising because Sorey had never really seemed to care before. He would tuck his wings close and curl his tail in when Mikleo was around, but that was because of _Mikleo’s_ discomfort more than anything.

Sorey’s hand hovered by his horns for a moment before it dropped away. He sighed and met Mikleo’s gaze. “We’re kind of…flexible with how we look. There are parts of how we really look like that we can’t hide, but…we could look like anything that we want. So we copied humans, but not perfectly. There were still…requirements that we had to have and things we couldn’t change. I just…I just don’t want to scare you away when you find out because…we’re always just copying and it’s never been exact. There’s a whole speech for this that I was told, but I can’t remember it now and-”

Mikleo shook his hands free of Sorey’s. He leaned in, wrapping his arms around Sorey and holding him tight. He felt Sorey tense against him, but Sorey didn’t move away from him again. Mikleo sighed when Sorey continued to hold his tension. He nuzzled into the join between Sorey’s shoulder and neck. He gave himself a moment to rest there before rolling his head to rest more on Sorey’s shoulder. “Show me.”

Sorey startled, Mikleo feeling him shift. Mikleo didn’t move from his place resting against Sorey’s shoulder, he just lifted his head enough to meet Sorey’s gaze. He reached down to rest a hand on Sorey’s stomach, never looking away from the seraph’s gaze. “Show me.”

For a moment, it looked like Sorey wouldn’t do anything. Mikleo sighed, moving his thumb gently against Sorey’s stomach as the seraph thought. He perked up when Sorey sighed, looking up at Sorey but he didn’t quite catch the expression that flashed across Sorey’s face.

Mikleo sat up as Sorey moved, ready to back away. He reached out to grab the edge of the bed, watched as Sorey shifted in place before the seraph reached for his pants. Mikleo’s eyes widened as Sorey flopped onto his back and wiggled out of his pants. It was an ungainly move, but it didn’t stop him from leaning close as Sorey kicked off the pants and dropped onto his back with one arm flung over his eyes.

Mikleo watched Sorey for a moment before scooting closer. Sorey didn’t flinch as he moved, but Mikleo saw him suck in a deep breath. Sorey held that for a moment before letting it out slowly. Mikleo watched for Sorey’s chest to fall before crossing the rest of the distance between them.

He rested his hand on Sorey’s leg, gently rubbing his knee before scooting up beside him. Mikleo nuzzled into Sorey’s side, looking up to meet Sorey’s gaze.

Sorey peered at him from underneath his arm, Mikleo smiling up at him. That seemed to be enough to get the seraph to relax, Sorey breathing out slowly and letting his arm drop back to his side. Sorey took another deep breath and spread his legs, Mikleo taking that as permission.

He climbed over Sorey’s leg, crawling up until he was braced over him. He leaned close, taking a moment to kiss Sorey. From the soft sound he heard, Sorey hadn’t been expecting it. Sorey was quick to sink into the kiss, his hands coming up to skim over Mikleo’s shoulders and up into his hair. They stayed there for a moment before giving Mikleo’s head a little push.

Mikleo took the cue, pulling away from Sorey’s lips, but not before he caught the bottom one in this teeth. He was careful to pull away slowly, taking his time in letting it go. Sorey whimpered as Mikleo pulled away completely, but he kept up the pressure on the top of Mikleo’s head. Mikleo paused to press a kiss to Sorey’s stomach before giving in and making his way down to where Sorey’s cock was half-hard. The pause for conversation must have made it flag, which was a disappointment. He leaned over to give it a kiss, smiling when it twitched.

He was tempted to just stop and coax it back to full hardness. He was sure that Sorey wouldn’t mind and his mouth watered at the thought. He might have been a little out of practice, but Mikleo was willing to try. Then again, he was sure that Sorey wouldn’t argue with it. But Sorey’s hand was steady against the back of his head, encouraging him to keep moving downward. Mikleo hesitated long enough to give Sorey’s cock another kiss before dropping lower.

He gave into the temptation to nuzzle Sorey’s balls, considering teasing him long enough for Sorey to give in, but he paused when he spotted something he didn’t expect.

Mikleo sat up slightly, feeling Sorey’s hand slide free of his hair. He glanced up to see it settle on Sorey’s stomach with Sorey’s other hand, Sorey’s fingers twitching. Mikleo watched the motion for a moment before reaching down to cup Sorey’s dick in his hand. He gave it a gentle stroke, watching as Sorey rocked his hips up into the touch. He heard Sorey make a cut off noise, Mikleo glancing up at Sorey’s face.

He couldn’t quite read Sorey’s expression, but he didn’t look like he wanted to stop. If anything, he looked nervous.

Mikleo tipped his head to the side, considering Sorey before letting his hand slide down past Sorey’s balls and into the space beneath them. His fingers brushed against flesh before they slipped against something wet and sunk in.

Sorey jerked, Mikleo pulling his hand away and looking up at him. “You ok?”

Sorey nodded, a blush crossing his cheeks. “Yeah. You just…surprised me.”

Mikleo hummed and backed up on the bed until he could lay between Sorey’s legs on his stomach. He tipped his head to the side, reaching out to run his hand up the inside of Sorey’s leg. He didn’t know if it was his examination or the silence that urged Sorey on.

Sorey cleared his throat, Mikleo hearing the faint tapping of Sorey’s fingers against his stomach. “I…I told you that seraphim needed humans to reproduce once we were down here. So…so we needed a way to do that. We’re all like this down there but some of us choose to look more one way or the other. Or we switch. I knew a few who were…but I don’t know…and I don’t…I know it’s weird and it’s okay if you don’t-”

Mikleo scooted closer and slid a finger into Sorey before he could finish. Sorey jerked, his voice pitching up into a moan as his hips moved back into Mikleo’s finger. Mikleo smirked, nuzzling the join between Sorey’s hip and leg. He watched as Sorey’s face went slack, Sorey’s eyes fluttering shut. Mikleo hummed, kissing Sorey’s thigh. “Is this alright?”

Sorey rumbled in the back of his throat, taking a while to actually respond. When he did, his voice was unsteady. “Y-yes.” Sorey’s hands slid from his stomach, Mikleo tipping his head to watch as Sorey’s fingers curled into the blankets. “Don’t stop.”

Mikleo nodded, rolling slightly to get a better angle. Sorey seemed to appreciate it because he arched his back, bearing down on Mikleo’s finger. His wings fluttered slightly with the motion, one of them slapping against the wall.

The sound startled the both of them, Sorey looking over at the wall before blushing. Mikleo looked at the wing long enough to check that it wasn’t injured. The motion brought him close to Sorey’s cock, Mikleo eyeing it for a moment before taking it in his mouth.

Sorey breathed out a curse, Mikleo recognizing the sound of the ancient tongue but not the word. He slipped another finger into Sorey, pushing the two of them in and out as he bobbed his head. Mikleo waited until he had settled into a rhythm before looking up at Sorey.

He wasn’t surprised to see that Sorey had his eyes closed, Sorey’s body twitching with each thrust. Mikleo saw Sorey’s tail move out of the corner of his eye, the tail flicking restlessly by Sorey’s side, but it didn’t move closer to him. Mikleo couldn’t help but throw a few quick glances towards it.

He jumped when Sorey’s fingers tangled in his hair, Mikleo looking back up at Sorey. The seraph still wasn’t looking at him, but his fingers were stroking through his hair pleasantly. Mikleo expected his head to be pushed down, but he was surprised when Sorey tugged at his hair slightly.

“Mikleo…please…I can’t...”

Mikleo pulled his fingers out of Sorey, giving Sorey’s cock one last kiss before sitting up. He leaned forward, bracing himself on either side of Sorey’s hips as he watched the seraph draw in deep breaths.

Sorey shook, Mikleo not sure if it was because of what he had been doing or because of his gaze. It didn’t seem to matter because Sorey reached for him, grabbing onto his arm. Mikleo shifted so he could touch Sorey’s hand, running his fingers over the back of it.

The touch seemed to be enough to coax Sorey into talking. Sorey squeezed his arm, giving Mikleo a pleading look. “Please…”

The quaver in Sorey’s voice and the look on his face was too much to ignore. Mikleo watched as Sorey panted for breath, his mind unhelpfully remembering how it had felt to have his fingers inside of him, how Sorey had clenched around him. He swallowed hard, not bothering to hide the way he shuddered. Just the thought had him close to the edge, which was embarrassing. He wasn’t a teenager anymore. It should have taken something more than the thought of Sorey, but Mikleo felt sure that it wouldn’t take much more than that.

Sorey’s fingers curled against his arm, Mikleo caught by Sorey’s gaze. Sorey didn’t have to say anything else, because there was no other answer that Mikleo could give. He was helpless against it all, the want and need burning through him hotter than he’d ever experienced it before.

He held Sorey’s gaze for a moment longer before nodding. He shifted his weight, surprised when Sorey twisted to meet him. For one moment Mikleo expected to be pushed onto his back, but Sorey remained prone under him. Sorey just lifted his hips in a silent plea.

Mikleo quickly gave in.

He shucked off his shirt and pants, not bothering to see where they landed. There were more important things that deserved his attention.

He reached down to steady Sorey’s hips, holding them with one hand while he reached down for himself. Mikleo glanced down to line himself up, frowning as he tried to move into position. To his relief, Sorey remained still, although his breathing sounded loud in the room.

Mikleo nudged the head of his cock against Sorey’s entrance, stopping there for a moment as he took a deep breath. He didn’t get longer because Sorey wrapped a leg around his hip and nudged him forward. Mikleo pushed in, his eyes going wide at the sensation. It was warm and wet, Mikleo resisting the urge to thrust in hard and fast. Sorey was still tight despite his earlier exploration, and he didn’t want to hurt the seraph. He bit his lip, shaking as he tried to keep his motion slow.

Sorey must have enjoyed it with the long moan that he gave. Mikleo looked away from where he was pushing inside Sorey to look at his face.

Sorey’s head was tipped back, his eyes shut and his mouth slack. Every once and a while he would take a hitching breath before breathing out. The exhale came with a soft sound, Mikleo not sure if it was actual words or just a moan. It didn’t really matter, because it just spurred him on.

Mikleo kept his thrusts shallow, working his way deeper into Sorey. Sorey didn’t seem to mind, his hips kept moving steadily, the one leg he had propped up over Mikleo’s hip holding him close. Mikleo smiled and reached back to tap Sorey’s leg, surprised when the motion just got Sorey to wrap both of his legs around him.

Mikleo lurched forward, just stopped himself from falling completing on top of Sorey. He braced himself on his hands, shifting his fingers as they brushed against Sorey’s feathers. He stared at the outstretched wings, his heart pounding.

He’d rarely been so close to them. Mikleo swallowed staring at the blue and silver feathers. This close he could see the subtle bits of yellow on the underside. He’d thought the streaks of yellow had only been where the wings met Sorey’s skin. The yellow feathers didn’t glitter the way that the silver did, and they looked soft. Mikleo’s fingers twitched in the covers, Mikleo not sure if he wanted to pull away to pet the feathers just to watch Sorey squirm.

The choice was taken away from him when Sorey jerked his wings away. Sorey shifted, folding his wings partially away, Mikleo distracted from the movement by the way that Sorey clenched around him. He sucked in a quick breath, looking up to meet Sorey’s gaze.

Sorey gave him a shaky smile. “S-sorry.”

Mikleo nodded, not quite sure what he was agreeing to. It was hard to think with Sorey circling his hips, especially when his expression slipped back into a look that took Mikleo’s breath away.

Sorey hitched his hips up, his hands scrambling at the covers. “Move. Please, Mikleo, move.”

Mikleo’s hips jerked forward without his permission. Sorey responded with a cut off wail, Mikleo almost stopping, but Sorey was pulling him closer with his legs. Mikleo watched as Sorey’s throat worked. It looked like he was trying to say something, but everything came out as a whimper or a moan.

Mikleo carefully thrust forward, keeping the motion smooth and slow to gage how Sorey felt.

Sorey arched up into him, Mikleo catching his name on Sorey’s lips before Sorey was reaching up for him. Sorey wrapped his arms around Mikleo’s shoulders, holding him tight.

Mikleo found himself pulled down onto Sorey, their chests pressed tight together. Sorey rumbled deep in his chest, Mikleo shivering as the sound went through him. He pressed his forehead against Sorey’s shoulder, taking a moment to catch his breath before he started moving again.

The motion got a purr from Sorey, his fingers curling into Mikleo’s back. Mikleo hissed as the scrape of nails against his back, speeding up his motion slightly at the encouragement. Sorey made a surprised sound, his face contorting slightly. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it was in pain or not, but he slowed down to his previous pace. There was nothing wrong with going slow, especially when it felt so good and when it brought a look of bliss back to Sorey’s face.

He nuzzled into Sorey’s neck, closing his eyes as his world disappeared to the points of contact with Sorey.

Sorey was warm, burning warm still. Maybe it was a lingering bit of lightening or the power that thrummed through the seraph. Mikleo didn’t care. Sorey was warm, so warm against him and where Mikleo was buried inside.

Mikleo kissed Sorey’s shoulder, the corner of his mouth twitching up at the sounds that Sorey was making. They were all soft whimpers and what could have been words. If he could focus he might have been able to work it out, but what Sorey was saying didn’t as matter as much of the tone. Sorey was enjoying himself, and that was all that mattered.

Mikleo hummed, shifting so he could rest his forehead against Sorey’s. Sorey’s eyes fluttered open at the touch, Sorey giving him a smile. Mikleo smiled back before his eyes fluttered closed.

This was more than he expected, even with the strangeness of seraphic anatomy. It was better that his fumbling with Uno and beyond the cold marriage he thought that he would be going into. This was Sorey and that thought alone made his heart beat faster.

Mikleo moaned, opening his eyes and tipped his head to the side. It was easy to move into a position where he could kiss Sorey. He heard Sorey make a startled noise, then one of the seraph’s hands was sliding into his hair to hold him in place. Mikleo licked into Sorey’s mouth, exhaling softly as the seraph kissed him back.

He let himself get lost in the kiss, swept away by the motion of Sorey’s mouth against his and the feeling of Sorey surrounding him. The sounds that Sorey was making and the wonderful tightness around him was too much, Mikleo biting on Sorey’s lip before he remembered himself. Sorey just moaned, his fingers curling against Mikleo’s scalp. It was an encouragement, and one that Mikleo was tempted to take, but he was riding on the edge, and Sorey seemed content for him to keep going.

He whimpered into the kiss, reaching down to wiggle a hand between them. At the first touch of his fingers, Sorey jerked. Sorey pulled away from him, his whole body arching as he moaned a mangled version of Mikleo’s name. Mikleo watched him, his breath taken away by how beautiful Sorey looked. There was a glow to his skin from the light from the walls, and Mikleo wanted to chase it, but he couldn’t balance enough to manage it.

Instead, he wrapped his fingers around Sorey and started to stroke him in time to his thrusts. Mikleo sped up slightly, holding himself back from thrusting in too hard. Sorey was really clenching around him, drawing groans out of him. He twisted his wrist as he stroked Sorey’s cock, his thumb brushing just under the head.

That was enough to draw a startled shout out of Sorey, the seraph’s body tensing as his came. Mikleo gasped, pulled over the edge but the tight clutch around him and the scrape of fingers in his hair and down his back. Mikleo thrust hard into Sorey, burying himself as deep as he could as he came.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his face against Sorey’s shoulder to steady himself, holding that position until he relaxed. Sorey followed him, the seraph slumping on the bed. The only sounds in the room was the pounding of Mikleo’s heart in his ears and the sound of their heavy breathing.

Sorey hadn’t let up his hold on him, not that Mikleo was about to complain. He was more than content to lay like this on Sorey, surrounded by the seraph. Mikleo nuzzled into Sorey, wriggling one hand out from underneath him to slide his palms up Sorey’s side. He was distantly aware that he was smearing come up Sorey’s left side, but that didn’t matter in the face of needing to touch Sorey. He might have been too weak to move much, but he needed something more.

He groaned when Sorey squirmed under him. Mikleo raised his head, watching as Sorey gave a weak laugh. He hummed, relieved when Sorey understood the question.

Sorey shook his head, pulling lightly on Mikleo’s hair. Mikleo went with the motion, scooting up to be within kissing range. Sorey gasped at the motion, his eyes fluttering shut.

Mikleo waited for Sorey to open his eyes again, the seraph giving him a lopsided smile. “Tickles.”

It took Mikleo a moment to realize what Sorey meant. He lightened the touch of his hands, but he didn’t dare lift them away. He wanted as much contact as he could, which made be a problem. Even pulling away to lie beside Sorey seemed like too much. He wanted to stay like this, in the moment. If he moved away, then that meant things were ending.

He tightened his hold on Sorey, almost relieved when Sorey misinterpreted what it meant.

Sorey stroked a hand down his back, leaning up to press a quick kiss to Mikleo’s lips. “Stay, please?”

Mikleo’s heart skipped a beat. He stared at Sorey, his stomach twisting. Sorey wasn’t asking that. Sorey would _never_ ask that of him. The seraph just meant staying where he was.

Mikleo swallowed, just barely managing a nod. He wasn’t sure if Sorey noticed his moment of panic because the seraph was guiding his head back down towards his shoulder. Mikleo settled there, holding still while Sorey dropped his legs from his hips. Sorey sighed, Mikleo watching as one of Sorey’s wings twitched. Part of it moved slightly, Mikleo watching as it settled into a more comfortable position. He turned his head to watch the other wing slide off the bed, Sorey’s right wing stretching out to its full length. Mikleo smiled at the way that the light glittered off of the feathers.

He wiggled slightly to get more comfortable, finally settling down against Sorey’s chest. Mikleo kept his gaze on the wing on the floor, his eyes following the pattern of dark blue on the silver feathers. Mikleo sighed, his eyes fluttering shut as Sorey combed his fingers through his hair. He hummed his thanks, relaxing into Sorey as he drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ancient Tongue Translations:   
> Messmu Meqcsbebq - Little Lightning  
> Dweqcs Scobjuw-Bright Thunder


	5. Chapter 5

“Bright virgin, steadfast in eternity,  
Star of this storm-tossed sea,  
Trusted guide of every trustful pilot,  
Turn your thoughts to the terrifying squall  
In which I find myself alone and rudderless…”  
\- _Hymn to the Virgin_ , Petrach

* * *

 

Feathers were the first thing that he saw when he woke up. Mikleo froze, trying to keep his breathing steady as he stared at them. They were in his line of sight and he could feel them against his skin. Mikleo shuddered, reaching up to press a hand against his mouth. The brush of the feathers felt weird, it was almost ticklish, but he was slightly terrified. Feathers meant the dragon, an idea that still make his stomach twist.

It was Sorey, he knew that. But there was knowing and _knowing_.

Mikleo swallowed and wiggled a bit from under the wing. He stopped at a grumble, holding his breath as he waited for the sound to stop. The wing over him twitched, but nothing happened. Mikleo breathed a sigh of relief and continued his careful wiggling.

He slipped out from underneath the wing, Mikleo padding his way across the floor. He waited until he was halfway across the room before turning around to look back at the bed.

Sorey was sprawled across it, practically taking up all the room. Mikleo looked over the seraph’s body, breathing a sigh of relief at the skin that he saw. Sorey hadn’t turned into a dragon while he slept, which was probably why he hadn’t been crushed. Mikleo reached up to press a hand against his pounding heart, waiting as it calmed down.

It had been a stupid conclusion to jump to in the first place, but Mikleo wasn’t quite able to shake it off. Sorey had wings in both forms, so there was no reason to associate it with the dragon. But he had spent so much time avoiding them, or having Sorey hide them that it was strange to think of them as part of Sorey. Then again, it wasn’t an idea that made him shake in fear and plan to run away. The fear was sharp spark that was quick to fade away.

He sighed and tipped his head back to look at the ceiling. There weren’t any answers there, not that he expected to find anything. It was just better than looking at Sorey and tracing the soft glow that the walls threw onto him. Mikleo was sure if he stared long enough, he would find himself wanting again, and he couldn’t allow that. He couldn’t give in again or he would never leave. Once had to be enough.

He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a few deep breaths. It had been hard to resist Sorey when he had seen him in the storm. Seraphic arte or not, there had been something to seeing the dragon in the rain. All seraphim had elements that they controlled, and he had never thought to ask Sorey’s. Mikleo wasn’t even sure what he had assumed, but it should have been clear from the titles that Atakk called Sorey. Then again, it had taken him looking them up in the register to figure out the translation. Every name associated with Sorey had to do with storms, and he was the grandson of a thunder seraph. Then again, he was the son of a seraph of purification and water, so there didn’t seem to be a pattern to their elements.

Mikleo bit his lip, considering the ceiling for a moment longer before looking back down at where Sorey was sleeping. The seraph hadn’t seemed to notice his absence yet, and Mikleo wasn’t sure he wanted to be around when Sorey woke up, if only because he didn’t think he could explain himself. He didn’t want to see the guilt cross Sorey’s face when Mikleo described his panic. He’d had enough of Sorey trying to hide his limbs.

He gave Sorey one last look before turning to look around the room. He’d only gotten a brief glimpse of Sorey’s room when he had first brought the seraph up the mountain, but he just remembered the clutter. Looking at it again, he saw that it was just as much of a storage area of the other rooms. If anything, it just looked like the seraph slept there, which made sense. From what he had seen, Sorey probably spent most of his time taking care of the ruin. The only space that looked like Sorey’s was the bed and the table beside it. The table had a pile of books, all of them studded with bookmarks. The rest of the things were a mishmash and piled on top of each other. Mikleo was sure that Sorey would move them out eventually. Where the seraph would go after that, Mikleo didn’t know. There were a lot of things that Mikleo didn’t know about what Sorey would do.

Mikleo was surprised with the rush of worry that came with that thought, but he pushed it away. He wasn’t allowed that, because he was leaving.

He shivered, rubbing his arms. It was easier to convince himself that it was because he was naked and away from Sorey. Mikleo glanced around, searching for any of his clothes, but they were lost in the tangle of stuff in the room. He saw something that looked like the right kind of fabric, but that would mean going back to Sorey. Mikleo would sure that he would just end up tucked back against the seraph and dozing again.

He turned away, reaching for a coat that was carelessly thrown over a chair. He snatched it up, pulling it on and tight around him. Mikleo sunk into the coat, staring out into the hallway.

There wasn’t much else to keep him occupied, not unless he wanted to go back to his room. There were plenty of books for him to read, but he felt too restless to sit down. Mikleo was sure wandering the ruin was a bad idea. With his state of mind, he was likely to get lost. But he couldn’t stay in the room, just in case he did something that he might regret.

He shuffled out of the room and to the side. He leaned back against the wall, clutching at the front of the coat. It was easier to have something to focus on something else so he didn’t think about going back to Sorey. He knew what he was doing there, he was following what Uno had done.

When the announcement of his marriage had come through Uno had accepted it, because there was no other option available to him. But he had spent the months before losing himself in Breunor. It had been like he was trying to store up everything that the two of them had. Mikleo didn’t know if it had helped in the end, all he knew was that it hadn’t worked. Every time he saw Uno the man looked miserable. Mikleo didn’t know how long Uno could keep sinking into misery, but the very idea frightened him. Uno had always been full of laughter and smiles, but it seemed like all of that had leeched out of him.

Mikleo ducked his head down, closing his eyes. He had thought that he would be alright. Now he wasn’t sure of that anymore.

Mikleo curled his fingers more tightly into the coat, ignoring the way that they shook. He had to because he wasn’t going to think like that. He had his reasons, and they were still sound. This was just a series of unfortunate circumstances, it was his reaction to a marriage that he didn’t really want.

Malfore had never been interesting to him, they were too different. Sorey was just the opposite. He was smart, interested in history and attractive. Mikleo could imagine spending hours speaking to Sorey like he couldn’t with Malfore. But Sorey was an impossibility, and he would be going back soon enough. It was just him grasping at one last chance to have something of his own.

He nodded to himself, content with the conclusion. He was just lashing out like Uno had done, steeling something for himself in the face of an unknown. For all he knew he’d get the time to do what he wanted because he and Malfore would avoid each other, but there was every chance that Malfore would keep him close. Until he could work out how to get around that he would just have to hold onto what he’d taken here. But even that thought made him bristle.

Mikleo shook his head hard, trying to push the thoughts away. He had already agreed to the marriage. It was for Alisha’s sake and for the sake of his parents. Mikleo was sure that Ladylake would be better off for it as well.

He dug his fingers into his arm, holding himself out against the pain for a moment before he slumped. He had to hold himself to his course, it was the only way left to him.

He must have been lost in his thoughts longer than he thought, because he didn’t react to the patter of paws against the floor until Atakk was nearly on him. Mikleo looked up, staring at where the Normin was making his way down the hall.

He’d made a promise to the Normin, and he’d broken it. Mikleo had never talked to Sorey, and he was sure that he had made it worse. He had been mistaken for a dragon’s bride after all, and some part of Sorey obviously had believed that. Atakk had told him about those expectations. But he had been promised that he would be going home, and Mikleo was sure that he’d made that worse too.

Mikleo dropped his gaze to the floor. He knew that it would make it all too obvious, but he didn’t know what else to do. All Atakk had to do was peek in Sorey’s room and he’s know. Mikleo wasn’t sure that Atakk didn’t already know, there were too many things about the seraphim that were mysterious.

He swallowed, pressing himself back against the wall as Atakk passed. The Normin only got a few steps past him, then Atakk stopped.

Mikleo winced, his gaze darting over to the door. With Atakk’s short strides, there was no way he was in the doorway, which meant that Atakk was looking at him. Mikleo shrunk into himself, fumbling with something to say. He was sure that no amount of apologies would fix what he had done, and he was devastated.

That thought alone was enough to stop him from talking. If this had been solely about himself, he shouldn’t have cared so much about what would happen to Sorey. But there was no hiding from the fact that he liked Sorey. Seraphim or not, Mikleo didn’t want him hurt.

He took a quick breath, trying to find the words to explain himself, but Atakk beat him to it.

The Normin gave him a wry smile, rocking back on his heels. “Plans change.”

Mikleo winced at the bland summary. It was true in some respects, but probably not in the way that Atakk hoped. He stroked his fingers over the front of the coat, looking at the dark blue fabric. “Not really.”

He expected to be shouted at, not the soft hum from Atakk. He risked a look up at Atakk, surprised by the sympathetic look on the Normin’s face.

Atakk met his gaze for a moment before the Normin shook his head. “I’m not going to hurt you, I’m not that kind of Normin.”

“You throw plenty of threats around.”

Atakk shrugged. “My job is to protect Dweqcs Scobjuw, and I try to do my best. Most people would be frightened by the dragon thing alone. But you’re not.”

“I’m terrified of dragons.”

“Of course you are.” Mikleo bristled at the condescension in Atakk’s tone, but Atakk didn’t seem to notice. The Normin padded closer to the door, peering in. The Normin stared into the room before sighing. Atakk reached up to push his helmet back, the Normin scratching at his head. “But this will make it hard.”

“I know that,” Mikleo snapped. He immediately felt bad because of the way his voice echoed in the hallway. He glanced into the room, looking at where Sorey was still sleeping before looking back at Atakk.

The Normin was staring at him with wide eyes. Mikleo slouched, sliding down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. He pressed his forehead against his knees, taking a few deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down. Mikleo curled his fingers into his skin, holding himself close as he spoke. “I know.”

He heard the soft tap of paws against the stone floor, but Mikleo didn’t dare look up. He squeezed his eyes shut, curling further into himself as Atakk sat down beside him. The Normin was quiet for a while before he reached out and patted Mikleo’s leg. Mikleo jumped at the touch, something that Atakk seemed to ignore. Atakk patted him again with a sigh. “I’m sure it was just the two of you getting carried away. It happens at your age.”

Mikleo laughed hollowly, shaking his head. He had felt out of control when he had gone to find Sorey, but he hadn’t been when he had kissed Sorey. He had been in control when he had pulled Sorey back into the ruin and into the seraph’s room. He’d been thinking clearly when he had fucked Sorey. What Atakk was saying sounded like something that someone would tell teenagers. It was something that he and Uno had told each other the first time that it happened.

He squeezed his eyes more tightly shut before giving up. There was no point in trying to hide from it. He didn’t regret it for a moment, which was the problem.

He was engaged to Malfore, he had entered into that willingly and with a full understanding of what that meant. Mikleo was sure that he wasn’t completely panicking because he hadn’t actually gotten married. He hadn’t stepped out of the boat and had the lake water poured over him, nor had he been walked through the gates on the bridge back to the city. He was in the clear, but Mikleo was sure that he wouldn’t have stopped even if he had been married.  

Mikleo swallowed hard, digging his nails into his skin. The spark of pain did nothing to change his mind. Sorey was markedly different from Malfore. Sorey made him feel more alive, more in the moment. It felt like the nights when his mother and uncle’s schedules matched with his, and they were all at home. It felt like his spare time spent with Alisha. It felt like _home_.

He shifted in place, slowly lifting his head. Mikleo opened his eyes and stared at the opposite wall, focusing on the familiar glow. It wasn’t enough to calm him, but Mikleo was sure that he was beyond that.

He rubbed his hand up and down the side of his leg before shaking his head. “It’s not us getting carried away. It was me being selfish. I wanted something before I was stuck with Malfore.”

Atakk hummed the Normin moving away. Mikleo heard his helmet clank as Atakk leaned back against the wall. “I think he was being just as selfish. He wanted to pretend as much as you did.”

Mikleo snorted, shaking his head. “Are you forgiving us?”

“No. I still think it was stupid and irresponsible.” Atakk eyed him for a moment before sighing and shrugging. “But you’re young and I should have seen it coming. I can only tell you not to hurt him.”

Mikleo bristled, feeling the old anger rush up, but it was quick to drain away. He had it coming. He had made his choices. Mikleo knew that he would have to be careful, because Sorey was bound to be attached.

He was already a little bit attached as well. There was something about the life in the ruin that called to him. There was so much to do to bring the ruin back to life. So many things that he could put his own stamp on instead of adhering to the old systems in Ladylake. Besides, there were so much to be rediscovered and catalogued. It was a project that he could gladly sink his time into. It was enough to make him wonder if the arranged marriage would be strained enough to allow him to travel widely. He could return to the ruin and live there in long bursts in the name of discovery. He could be with someone who he liked and who he wanted.

But that would make it all worse.

Mikleo let his head fall back against the wall, staring at where the other side of the hallway met the ceiling. If he did that, it would be torment for the both of them. He would be between worlds, and it would hurt. Besides, Malfore wasn’t stupid. He would figure it out eventually and then Mikleo would be responsible for Sorey’s death. Not only that, there were the other seraphim in the village and the other shrine to think about. Mikleo was sure that Sorey’s parents and grandfather would come to avenge him. The seraphim might all be killed, or Malfore would be killed; both would be catastrophic. He didn’t want to be the reason more seraphim died, nor did he want to be the reason the Fortons turned their anger on Ladylake.

A clean break would be the best for everyone. He wouldn’t go back to the mountain once he was in Ladylake and Sorey would get the chance to find someone else. It might take a while, but Sorey had that kind of time. He would be able to finish up the ruin, and maybe the world would be better for seraphim by them.

He ran his fingers along the curve of his knee, Mikleo shaking his head. “I can’t promise that anymore.”

“I guess you can’t, can you?” Atakk reached up to play with his helmet. “Just…try to take it easy on him when you go.”

Mikleo just nodded. It was the best that they could both hope for. There was no way that they would be walking away from this without being hurt somehow, but they would be walking away. Mikleo wouldn’t allow himself any other option.

He spread his fingers over his knee one more time before getting to his feet. The stone felt cold under him, which was something that Mikleo expected. What he didn’t expect was the ruin itself to be cold. The ruin had always been comfortable, but now it seemed to be getting colder. It made him want to crawl back into Sorey’s arms to steal a few more hours. Leaving was already going to hurt, he might as well take what he could. Snatching at happiness seemed to be the only solution, he just had to make sure that he didn’t let that be the only glimpse of happiness in his marriage. Just how he would do that, he didn’t know.

Mikleo tugged the coat to cover more of him, not that Atakk seemed to care. The Normin pushed himself from the wall, Atakk stretching his arms above his head. He bounced on his toes for a moment before turning to look at him. Atakk looked him up and down before nodding. “I’ll make sure that your stuff is ready for when you leave. Plus a little bit of something for the road.”

“Nothing too obvious.”

Atakk nodded seriously, although his paws moved in a worried motion. “I remember. I’ve seen what happens to the humans that go back.”

Mikleo tried to ignore the cold spike of fear that ran down his spine. It had been two thousand years since the last person had been taken, that was plenty of time for everything that had been done to be forgotten. He shivered, rubbing his arms. “Sorey isn’t taking me far, just beyond the Aroundight Forest.”

“Food then, and a blanket.”

“Thank you.”

Atakk gave him a sad smile. “No problem. It’s been good having someone else around. The two of us had almost forgotten what life sounded like here.”

The Normin walked off before Mikleo could say anything else. Mikleo watched Atakk go, his hand rubbing over the sleeve of his coat. Atakk was being more than generous, and Mikleo was thankful for it. Considering everything that he had done, Atakk would be well within his rights to refuse to give him anything, or even convince Sorey to not let him go. Mikleo was glad for anything he could get, especially since he was leaving the safety of Sorey’s domain. The weather wouldn’t be nice and mild, it would be cold with deep snows. Mikleo didn’t want to think about wading through them with only his wedding attire. It was meant to be showy, not to keep him warm for long.

He bit his lip as he swayed in place. Some part of him wanted to walk the ruin, to soak in every last bit of it and hold in it himself for he went back to Ladylake, but there was somewhere else that he wanted to be more.

Mikleo rolled his shoulders, letting go of his sleeve. He turned to walk back into Sorey’s room, sighing when he crossed the threshold.

The seraph was still asleep in his sprawl, Mikleo watching as his side rose and fell. Now his wings and tail didn’t look like a threat, they looked familiar and comfortable. It would be strange to go back to a place where he wouldn’t see anyone like that. Mikleo was sure that he would keep looking for them, or for the flash of silver.

He shook his head, dropping his gaze away. Those thoughts wouldn’t help him. He had to get into the habit of squashing those thoughts before they could take him too far. He had to or else he would be miserable for the rest of his life.

Mikleo took a deep breath, suddenly stuck by what a bad idea this was. It would be better for him to retreat to his room and get some more sleep, or read. He wouldn’t be able to take notes or discuss his findings with anyone back in Ladylake, but he could at least make a mental note so he could start his own researches. They wouldn’t be able to argue with him then and he might be able to start changing people’s minds. Sorey might not have to spend the next two thousand years hidden away from the world.

He licked his lips, promising himself one last look at Sorey when the seraph stirred. Mikleo watched as Sorey raised one wing, the seraph staring blearily at the place where he had used to be. Sorey patted the space before looking over at him. Some recognition flashed across his face, but then Sorey was nuzzling into his pillow, looking like he was ready to fall asleep again. “The wing too much?”

Mikleo wanted to shake his head because it had been warm, but he couldn’t quite forget his moment of panic when he had woken up. He nodded slowly, watching as Sorey folded his wing back.

“Sorry. It’s habit.” Sorey lifted his head slightly, the seraph giving him a sleepy smile. “Come back to bed.”

It was impossible to resist that smile. Mikleo was already walking across the room before he could stop himself. He sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to run his fingers through Sorey’s hair. Sorey purred and leaned up into the touch, his eyes fluttering shut. Mikleo chuckled, leaning in closer to him. “You look half asleep.”

“’m waking up.”

“Are you?” Mikleo watched as Sorey nodded, trying not to laugh. Sorey might be waking up, but it wasn’t fast enough. Mikleo was sure that, if he tucked himself back in against Sorey, the seraph would just fall asleep. And he would be alright with that. He could just cuddle up into Sorey’s warmth and savor it.

He might be gathering moments to remember when he was married, but he wasn’t going to be like Uno. He wasn’t going to let them destroy him. They would be bright spots to take on a bad day, a brief moment of paradise.

Mikleo leaned down to kiss Sorey’s temple, hearing the seraph hum in response. It was a pleasant sound, one that he would like to hear every morning. He pushed the thought back hard, banishing it back to far corners of his mind. Instead, he focused on kissing down the side of Sorey’s face, sighing when Sorey turned to catch his lips in a kiss.

It was an awkward angle, Mikleo leaning over to brace himself over Sorey. He planted one hand against Sorey’s head, feeling Sorey’s lips curl in a smile against his. He didn’t get the time to think it over before Sorey’s hand brushed down his side. Mikleo shivered, not sure if it was because of Sorey’s touch or because of the tickle. He didn’t have too long to think about it between the kiss and the way that Sorey’s fingers curled so only his knuckles were brushing over his side. Mikleo sighed, pulling back just enough to see Sorey’s face.

Sorey had a smile on his face, the expression mostly fond but a bit sneaky. Sorey lifted his hand to brush his knuckles across Mikleo’s cheek. “Come back to bed?”

The best thing to do would be to refuse, Mikleo knew that. But Sorey was warm, and the bed was comfortable where he was kneeling. Sorey was leaning up for him. The seraph rolling onto his back and his wings opening. It was an invitation, and Mikleo couldn’t deny it.

He settled himself on top of Sorey, leaning in for another kiss as Sorey wrapped his arms around him.

* * *

The cold hit immediately as they crossed the Aroundight Forest. Mikleo shivered and grabbed at the front of the coat, trying to pull it around himself as he hunkered down into Sorey’s feathers. He felt the dragon’s neck shift slightly, but Sorey wasn’t looking at him. The dragon was focused on scanning the ground. Mikleo would have joined him if he thought that he could lean over without falling off. It didn’t matter that Sorey would never let him fall, the glimpse of the ground would be enough. His stomach twisted at the thought of the heights, Mikleo pressing his face against Sorey’s neck.

Sorey’s feathers warmed his face, Mikleo tempted just to cling to Sorey’s back and not let go. The dragon would have to set down, but he just wouldn’t get off. He would just cling until Sorey got the message. Mikleo was sure that Sorey wouldn’t keep him out too long, not with the biting cold.

Mikleo had always known that there was a difference between Sorey’s domain and the rest of the world, but experiencing it was a different thing. After spending a few days with the seraph he had gotten used to the mild winter in Sorey’s domain it was shocking to be back in a place not protected by a seraph. It was enough to make him wonder how humanity was surviving, but he knew the answer well enough.

They were, barely. They were clinging tightly to whatever life they could eke out between the harsh whiplash of the seasons. Mikleo had read that once Glenwood had been called Desolation, and he could see why.

He shivered and tightened his hold on Sorey’s feathers, trying his hardest not to pull on them. His wedding clothes were hardly enough to keep him warm, the wind was cutting harshly through all the layers. Mikleo was sure that the rips and tears didn’t help him, but he didn’t dare to fix them. He had to look like he had been wandering around all of this time, his life depended on it. The only thing that he had taken was a blanket that Atakk had packed food into. That Mikleo was sure that he could explain away.

Kylfe may have been attacked, but there was bound to be some things left over. Marlind troops would have looted the place, but they would have been quick to retreat. Kylfe was too close to Ladylake to remain, especially after such a forward move. Desperate people might have drifted through, but an entire city wouldn’t have been picked clean. There was still plenty enough for him to have scrounged through what was left and come up with what he had. Mikleo was sure he would have eaten most of the food by the time he reached Ladylake or anyone else. If not, excuses would be easy enough to come by. He just had to hope that everyone was too excited to see him to remember any of the old stories.

Mikleo adjusted his hold on the string that held the blanket shut. He pulled it closer to him, clutching it against him as Sorey banked. The dragon zig-zagged for a while, Mikleo trying to ignore the way that his stomach lurched with every turn.

He took a few deep breaths before turning his head to the side. His eyes widened when he saw the tops of the Aroundight Forrest so close to him. Mikleo licked his lips, ignoring the sting of the cold against him.

Sorey seemed to be taking his time landing. Mikleo frowned and looked at Sorey’s right wing, watching as it rose and fell. There wasn’t a hitch or hesitation to it, but Sorey seemed to be sticking closer to the forest than Mikleo would have expected. He winced as Sorey’s wing scraped against a branch, snow falling off the tree and onto his feathers.

A gust of wind tore his attention away, Mikleo scrambling for a better hold. He heard Sorey grunt, the dragon flapping into the wind before he landed with a thump.

The motion practically jarred Mikleo out of place. He yelped as he started to slip over the side. He scrambled at Sorey’s feathers, pulling at them before he finally managed to stop himself. The blanket tumbled out of his grip, dropping unharmed into the snow. Mikleo looked over his shoulder at it before sighing. He dropped his forehead against Sorey’s feathers, taking a few deep breaths before letting go of the dragon.

He dropped into the snow, wincing when he lost his balance and fell back. Mikleo groaned and pushed himself upright, brushing the snow off of himself. Mikleo was sure that he was just making things worse, because his hands were already cold. It was all he could do to slowly uncurl them. He’d only been on this side of the Aroundight Forest for a few minutes, but he was already feeling it in his bones. Mikleo tucked his hands under his armpits, looking up to meet Sorey’s gaze.

Sorey peered down at him for a moment before giving himself a shake. Silver flame licked at him, Mikleo tempted to shove his hands into it. The flame looked warm, but he doubted that it threw off any real heat. He’d been close enough to it once before, but Mikleo couldn’t quite remember what it felt like. Falling from the ruin made it hard for him to remember anything but the ground rising up at him and the shock of seeing Sorey turn into a dragon. None of that stopped him from edging closer to Sorey.

He tucked himself against the seraph before Sorey was done with his transformation, Mikleo sighing when he felt Sorey’s arms close around him. Mikleo pressed his forehead against Sorey’s shoulder. He heard a rustle of feathers like Sorey was going to wrap his wings around him too, but he felt Sorey shift and the wings never came around to him. Mikleo wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed, but that didn’t matter as much as the warmth that came off from the seraph.

He felt Sorey nuzzle into his hair, Sorey holding him close. Mikleo squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the steady sound of Sorey breathing.

“Sorry.” Mikleo hummed at the apology, not caring that the words were practically muffled. Sorey didn’t seem to care either, because he took a while to continue. “That wasn’t my best landing. Are you alright?”

“The snow broke my fall.”

Sorey sighed, the seraph holding him close for a moment more before stepping away. Mikleo was left staring at the spot where Sorey had been, the cold rushing back towards him. He wrapped his arms around himself, turning around to watch the seraph.

Sorey walked over to where the blanket had fallen. He stared at it for a moment before picking it up and shaking it off. But Sorey made no move to come back his way.

Mikleo swayed in place before trudging through the snow over to Sorey. He could feel it already soaking through his pants, which didn’t bode well. He still had days to go before he got back to Ladylake, and Mikleo didn’t know how much cover he would be able to find on the way back, but he didn’t dare tell Sorey to get closer. There was no telling what was going on, he had been away from Ladylake for too long. He didn’t want to risk Sorey by getting so close. Besides, staying out for a bit would help his story, or so he had thought before. Now he was sure that he might freeze.

He stopped beside Sorey, taking the blanket bundle from him and slinging over his shoulder. It settled on his back, Mikleo wincing as more of the snow soaked through his coat. It would only be a matter of time before it would soak through the rest of his layers. Mikleo was sure that it would be the last straw for most of his wedding outfit. He sighed, closing his eyes. If he was lucky enough, that would get Malfore to call off the wedding for a few more days, but he doubted that. Someone would worry that he would be carried off again, or the council would try to rush it to keep them safe.

Mikleo opened his eyes, looking out into the snowy plains. He took a deep breath, nodding slowly to himself.

Sorey was the one to break the silence, the seraph pointing out in one direction. “Ladylake is that way, just follow the hillside down and you should run into the Pughe River. It runs all the way down to Ladylake.”

Mikleo nodded absently. He knew about the Pughe River, or he knew about it enough to know where it spilled into the lake. That was something, it was better than wandering absently until he froze or found his way back. Mikleo rolled his shoulders, but he didn’t bother to start forward. Instead he stared off in the direction that Sorey had pointed out, like he would be able to see the river.

Sorey must have taken his silence for nervousness or something else because he leaned closer. Mikleo scooted closer to him gratefully, basking in the warmth that the seraph was putting out. Sorey was only quiet for a moment more before his fingers brushed against Mikleo’s arm. “I could take you closer.”

Mikleo shook his head. He couldn’t let Sorey get any closer, nor could he risk either of them spending more time with each other. It had been hard enough to pull himself away from Sorey in the ruin. It had been warm and safe curled up against him. Sorey had kept him distracted with lingering kisses. If it wasn’t that, it was the soft sounds that he had made when Mikleo had pressed into him. Mikleo was sure the two of them had known that it had been a distraction, but both of them had been willing enough to let it go on. It was only because Atakk had come looking for them that they had finally pulled away.

That didn’t mean that Mikleo had been able to look at Atakk when he and Sorey had been ready to go. He would have preferred if Atakk had just not paid any attention to him for the climb up to the top of the shrine. Instead, the Normin had stuck close to him, Atakk patting his leg while Sorey had been warming up his wing. Mikleo had looked at him then, and Atakk had given him a shaky smile.

“Be safe,” the Normin had said. And Mikleo was sure that Atakk had meant it. After all the Normin didn’t hate him. If anything, Atakk hated everything that could happen because of him, not that Mikleo blamed him.

The Shepherds had fought and killed their way through the seraphim for years, and they had always come after a dragon after they had taken someone. And Mikleo had openly said that he was engaged to one, and that a Shepherd was needed.

Atakk had asked him not to hurt Sorey, and he hadn’t managed to do that, but he could do this.

Mikleo shook his head, moving so he could catch Sorey’s hand and squeeze it. “I’ll be fine.”

From the look that Sorey gave him, the seraph didn’t quite believe him, but Mikleo was glad that Sorey didn’t argue. The seraph nodded, but he didn’t move away either. Instead he curled his fingers around Mikleo’s hand, holding it tightly. Mikleo was sure that, if he moved forward, Sorey would follow him. The seraph might trail him all the way back to Ladylake.

Mikleo shivered, not sure if it was because of the cold or the thought of what would happen if Sorey got to Ladylake. The people there wouldn’t see a seraph, they would see a monster. The old beliefs hadn’t quite died, they had lived on in the stories that were told to children. They would see Sorey as a daemonblighted human, and they would try to kill him. Mikleo was almost sure that they would succeed, because Sorey wouldn’t want to hurt them. Seraphim only wanted to help people.

He squeezed Sorey’s hand before turning. Sorey looked down at him, Mikleo sure that Sorey was doing the same thing as he was. They were both looking their fill, because after this the two of them would never see each other again. It would be a nice time remembered every once and a while, and that was all it would be. It was all that Mikleo would allow himself to have. That didn’t stop the ache in his chest, nor did it stop him from reaching up with his free hand to cup Sorey’s cheek.

Sorey leaned into the touch, Mikleo savoring the press of it against his skin. He rocked up slightly to kiss Sorey, keeping the kiss chaste even as he pressed close. He hummed as Sorey reached up to cup the back of his head. Mikleo allowed himself to be drawn closer. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, Mikleo watching as Sorey’s wings closed slightly around him. They didn’t come any closer, the wings staying a good distance away from him, but Mikleo felt safe. They twitched for a moment, hovering out beside him before Sorey pulled them back.

Sorey followed them, taking a step back. His hand lingered in Mikleo’s hair, his fingers trailing off into the ragged ends. Mikleo closed his eyes as Sorey’s fingers trailed across his cheek, bright spots of warmth against the cold. And then they were gone.

Mikleo sighed, sinking into himself for a moment. He pulled himself back up, opening his eyes and meeting Sorey’s gaze. Sorey wasn’t smiling, which was a shame, but Mikleo hadn’t expected that of him.

He adjusted his hold on his bag, not daring to reach out to Sorey again. If he did, he might kiss him again and never let him go. Mikleo swallowed, curling his fingers into the rope that bound the blanket. He took a deep breath, making sure to hold Sorey’s gaze. “Thank you, for everything.”

That got Sorey to make a sound almost like a laugh. It didn’t sound quite right, but it was better than a somber Sorey.

The seraph shook his head. “Everything but the kidnapping, right?”

Mikleo shook his head. “I wouldn’t have seen all of this if you didn’t. I wouldn’t have learned what I did. I wouldn’t have met you. Those are all worth the scare.”

Sorey finally smiled at that, the wings dropping slightly as he relaxed his shoulders. “I’m glad then. And I should thank you for your help with the library.”

The last part came out in a rush, Mikleo smiling back at him. It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he was looking forward to seeing it, but he knew that he wouldn’t get the chance. If he wanted Sorey safe, he would have to stay away. It was better just to nod. “I might just have to go back and throw myself into research after that. I can at least start to change people’s minds. With all the stuff I found, I’m sure I can find a way to use the library and Ladylake to turn up something.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“That old shrine will be full of people again, you just wait.”

Mikleo didn’t know what to expect as a reaction, but that didn’t stop him feeling a bit jealous of the way that Sorey perked up. Sorey would get to see that moment, but he wouldn’t. There would be someone else by Sorey’s side by then, he would be just a name in a history book. It was hard not to feel jealous about that.

He squeezed Sorey’s hand one last time before taking a step back. Sorey kept a hold on his hand, letting their arms stretch out to the last moment before he let go. Their fingers slid against each other, Mikleo feeling like his stomach dropped out when there was nothing but cold air against his hand. He swallowed and looked back at Sorey, sure that he had the same shattered look as Sorey did. Mikleo flexed his fingers and dropped his hand back to his side. He was at a loss of what to do, other than turn around and start walking. If it he did that, he wouldn’t have to look at Sorey.

Mikleo took a deep breath, ready to start walking as fast as he could break through the snow when Sorey stepped towards him. He hated himself a little for stepping towards Sorey. He was supposed to be leaving, not lingering. It would be easier if it was a clean break, it _had_ to be a clean break or else he would end up like Uno. But that didn’t stop him from stepping up to Sorey, although he just barely stopped himself from reaching out to touch Sorey.

The seraph hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “If…if you ever need me, just call my name.”

“Sorey?”

“No, my real name.” Sorey took a deep breath, glancing around like he expected someone to come rushing out. Mikleo halfway expected to see Atakk peering out of the Aroundight Forest, but that was nothing but snow. When he looked back, Sorey was closer. Sorey reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder. Mikleo shivered as Sorey’s thumb rubbed against the side of his neck. “Repeat after me. Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw.”

“Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw.” Mikleo stumbled over the words, feeling like he said every one wrong. His own tongue felt stiff and heavy in his mouth as he tried to follow Sorey’s pronunciation instead of the way that he would have done it. The way he had learned had been the ancient tongue when it was dead and mostly forgotten, but living it sounded different. Living, it sounded beautiful, except when he said it.

It must have worked because Sorey’s pupils dilated fast until his eyes were mostly black with a little band of green. They constricted just as quickly, Mikleo unnerved by the sudden focus that Sorey had on him. The seraph went completely still, like he was waiting for something.

Then, just as quickly, Sorey snapped out of it. Sorey shook himself, his wings opening out and shuddering as well. His wings mantled slightly, Mikleo staring at the pattern on the underside. His fingers itched to reach out and touch them. They looked soft and warm, something that the world wasn’t outside of Sorey’s domain.

He curled his fingers back towards his palm, watching as Sorey took deep breaths. The seraph took a moment to come back to himself, Sorey finally folding his wings back.

Sorey cleared his throat, giving Mikleo a smile and a nod. “Yes, just like that. Call it if you need help, any help that your husband can’t give you. And I’ll come, no matter what. I promise.”

Mikleo wasn’t sure how he could feel relieved and frightened at the same time. It was too much power, too much trust. Atakk had told him that names were important to seraphim, and he was given the most important name of all. Every single thing he had read about them said that seraphim guarded their true names. It was a precious gift, one that Mikleo intended to hold close. He was sure that he wouldn’t use it, he _couldn’t_ use it. He just hoped that Sorey wouldn’t wait for him to say it.

He leaned into Sorey’s touch. “I’ll remember it and keep it safe.”

Sorey’s mouth opened and closed like he was trying to find something to say, but the seraph just settled for a nod. He leaned forward so their foreheads were pressed together. “Thank you.”

Mikleo couldn’t find anything to say, he just bit his lip to hold back a whimper. He pressed his forehead hard against Sorey, feeling the seraph’s fingers skim along the column of his neck one more time before they dropped away. Mikleo felt a short shock, and then silver flames were dancing in his vision. Sorey’s forehead remained against his head for a moment more before he was lifting his head away.

Mikleo tilted his head back as Sorey lifted his, the dragon looking down at him. Sorey shifted in place, his wings lifting and falling before he gave a short huff. Mikleo assumed that it was his version of a goodbye.

Mikleo lifted his hand to give a hesitant wave, stopping the motion when Sorey snapped his wings open. The dragon beat them down hard, snow rising in a rush at the motion. Mikleo raised his arm to cover his eyes, squinting with the force of the wind that Sorey kicked up. He craned his neck up as soon as the worst was over, watching as Sorey rose into the clouds. Mikleo squinted to be able to see the flashes of silver among them, and then they were gone.

He stared at the clouds that Sorey had disappeared into. Mikleo listened hard for any sounds that the dragon would make, but there was nothing, just the silence of the snowy slopes.

Mikleo swallowed, giving the clouds one last look before resettling the bundled blanket on his shoulder. Sorey was gone, headed back to the safety of his domain, which meant that it was time for him to go.

He tugged his coat more tightly around him before turning and starting to trudge through the snow. He had to get to the river as soon as he could. Mikleo wasn’t sure about the cover along the river, but he could at least find something. Villages were built up close to rivers. They might be dead after what Marlind had gone to Kylfe, but a dead village was better than a night out in the cold. Mikleo set his jaw and set a steady pace.

It was hard to move at any pace through the deep snow, Mikleo making a face as it started to leak into his boots. He hoped that Atakk had the foresight to include flint and steel. If not, then he would have to get creative.

Mikleo huffed and looked up at the sky, ignoring the part of him that was still looking for Sorey. He needed to see the sun to know how much time he had to walk, although Mikleo wasn’t sure how it would help him. He didn’t know where the nearest village was. All the sun could tell him was that it was getting dark and going to get colder.

He slowed to shake snow out of his boot, giving up a moment later. It was going to spill over into his boot and get in his way for the days it would take him to get to Ladylake. Mikleo was resigned to being covered in snow for the next few days. Maybe that would help him put off Malfore, if just for a little while longer. Or maybe that was a vain hope. Mikleo didn’t know, all he knew was that he had far too much time to think and many miles to walk.

Mikleo set his jaw and picked up his pace, settling into something that seemed to be something he could hold for the day. Only time would tell. It would all be better if he had wings. Mikleo felt the corner of his mouth twitch up, although he quickly pushed the thought away. He couldn’t be wishing for Sorey, not now. He was going back home, so it was better to focus his thoughts that way.

There were many things to do when he got back to Ladylake, the first would be marrying Malfore. Mikleo lifted his chin, frowning at that thought. Once that was out of the way he could get on with real work.

He had access to plenty of books in Ladylake, it would just be a matter of looking for what he knew was true. It would take time, but he would have plenty of that too. He didn’t think he would want to stick around Malfore, and the other librarians barely paid attention to him. Mikleo was sure that no one would notice. They would all be caught up in their own projects. His uncle might check in on him, but Mikleo knew how to put him off. A nudge in the direction of Michael’s grand history project would be enough to keep him busy.

Just what he would have to do Mikleo didn’t know. The first step was making the connection between the seraphim and the dragons. Mikleo already had a tentative lead. Some of the dragons in the stories were named, and some of them were the same as the seraphim. That was a connection. If there was one, there were bound to be others. Mikleo was sure that there were records and stories that he could pull from. It wouldn’t be too impressive at first, but he could certainly grow it until he had something.

Even with all of that, it would take years to change peoples’ minds, but at least it was a start. Someone had to start it after all, and then the sky would be full of dragons again, and the people wouldn’t suffer.

 _That_ was what his marriage to Malfore was buying him, the chance to access everything he needed to bring the seraphim back. That would end of the suffering of the people. It would mean Ladylake would be safe. It would mean the seraphim were safe. There would be no more killing, no more egg smashing.

Mikleo shivered at the thought, reaching up to pull his coat closer. That didn’t stop the cold from seeping into him. Mikleo was sure that it was a combination of the cold and the thought.

Seraphim were great and powerful creatures, kin to the elements themselves. It was in every story and account that he had read. He had seen it with Sorey too. The lightening had romped and curled around him like a playful puppy. It hadn’t scorched or hurt him, it had been his to command. With that power, there was no way that a Shepherd could win. Sorey might have said that the others were sleeping, but Mikleo was sure that it wasn’t that deep. And it wouldn’t take much for them to wake up and attack will all the force of their element. Which meant that the Shepherds had earned their titles on the seraphim who hadn’t been able to defend themselves yet. The seraphim who had not been ready.

Mikleo shuddered, closing his eyes. That would be something he had to point out, although he was sure that most people would hate it. The people loved their Shepherds, they had been part of their stories for so long now. It would be hard to find something that could replace it. Some part of him hated the idea of it, but the idea that more seraphim would be killed because of some forgotten truth was worse.

He adjusted his hold on the blanket, turning his thoughts back to his main task. He had plenty of time to think while walking, he might as well start outlining what he would be spending the rest of his life working on.

Mikleo let his mind drift, heading steadily in the direction of the Pughe River. It was almost nice, if he could ignore the cold. Mikleo chuckled to himself, lifting his hands to blow on them. It warmed his fingers a little, but not for long. But it made things bearable, and that was all that mattered.

He lifted his head from blowing on his hands, pausing at the sound of a loud snort. Mikleo tipped his head to the side, trying to pick it out from the rest of the silence in the snow. Mikleo flexed his fingers, suddenly wishing for a weapon. Mikleo settled for resting his fingers half curled, staring off in the direction of the sound.

It didn’t take long for the thing that had made it to appear.

Mikleo tensed at the sight of the horse and rider. They were too far away for him to see much on them, which meant that it could be trouble. Mikleo didn’t think that anyone from Marlind would have lingered, not after so long, nor would they be so close to Ladylake, but the people from Marlind weren’t the only dangerous ones. There were the people from Kylfe to consider, the ones that hadn’t gone to Sorey’s mother or other villages. They would be hungry, angry and far better prepared than he was.

Mikleo shifted in place, licking his lips. He wasn’t going to try and outrun the horse, but he did have an alternative. Sorey’s name still burned bright in his mind and lips.

He took a deep breath, stopping when the person turned in the saddle. They cupped their hands over their mouth. “Shepherd!”

Mikleo jerked at the title, barely stopping a curse from slipping out. He had spent too much time with Sorey if that was his first response, not that it was wrong. It was just something that he would have to adjust. Besides, there was only one Shepherd in the area.

He swallowed and relaxed, cautiously raising his hand. He gave a small wave, watching as more riders came up the rise. He swept his gaze over the yellow and red, his heart pounding faster as they all topped the rise. The count was right, and he thought he recognized the man who was urging his horse up the hill at a gallop. Then again, he had only seen Malfore once. He couldn’t really been sure. But he did know the two people following after them.

The blanket dropped from his hands, Mikleo taking a stumbling step forward. “Mom…uncle…”

He broke into a run, not taking his gaze from where the two of them were start pulling up their horses. The snow and the cold didn’t matter, nothing mattered more than barreling into the two of them.

But he never got that far.

His path was suddenly blocked by a man, Mikleo just having the time to look up before he was swept up into a hug. He tensed as the man’s arms closed around him, staring at the red and yellow of the man’s coat as the man held him close and whispered.

“Oh, you’re safe. You’re safe.” The man squeezed him tighter before tipping his head down. Mikleo stared up at Malfore’s face. He only had a moment to realize that it was exactly like the paintings he had been shown before Malfore was touching his face tenderly. “I thought I had lost you. My darling. My sweetheart. My one and only.”

Mikleo opened his mouth, not sure if he was going to stutter out the usual courtesies or just demand to know what Malfore was doing, but he didn’t get the chance. Malfore leaned forward, one of his hands pushing into Mikleo’s hair, and then he was kissing him.

Mikleo’s eyes widened as he felt a tongue slide into his mouth. It pushed against his tongue, Mikleo going stiff as Malfore leaned in, practically bending him in half.

Mikleo stared up at Malfore and the sky beyond with wide eyes, only remembering himself as he stared up at the clouds, silver flashing among them.

He pressed his hands against Malfore’s chest, shoving him backwards. The Shepherd tried to stay close, but another push had him stumbling back.

Malfore stared at him in shock, Mikleo ready for the man to start shouting or demanding more from him, but Malfore just blushed. The Shepherd cleared his throat, reaching back to brush his hair into place. “I apologize. That was out of line. I was worried…but that was no excuse.”

He reached out to hold Mikleo’s hand, the warmth of Malfore’s gloves a relief from the cold, but Mikleo almost didn’t want it. Malfore stared at their hands before gently chafing Mikleo’s. “You’re freezing. How long have you been out here?”

Mikleo swallowed, trying to remember the days, but they had all blurred together. He had spent most of his time inside the shrine, which had made it hard to see what time of day it was. It just hadn’t mattered then. But it mattered now, because his story depended on it.

He shook his head, not having to pretend any of his confusion or cold. “I…I don’t know. I haven’t gotten the time to think.”

Malfore frowned. “What have you been doing all of this time?”

“Walking?” Mikleo shook his head, using the moment to sort through his story. “The dragon landed…there.” He pointed over to about where Kylfe was. “Days and days ago. I ran and got lost in the ruins.”

“What about the dragon?”

“It looked for me, but it couldn’t find me. I stayed there for a while, until I was sure it was gone. Then I gathered what I could and started walking.”

“Walking?”

Mikleo nodded in the face of Malfore’s incredulous look. “I read the stories. I thought no one was coming after me.”

“No.” Malfore stroked over the curve of Mikleo’s cheek. “I came to find you.”

Mikleo reached up to grab Malfore’s hand, quickly pulling it away from his cheek. At a loss of what to do, he just held it. “You did. Thank you.”

Mikleo wasn’t sure if his voice held the right tone, but Malfore beamed. The man tugged him closer into a hug, Mikleo going stiff as Malfore squeezed him close. At a loss of what to do, Mikleo reached up to pat Malfore’s shoulder. It wasn’t the move of a fiancé, but he didn’t know what else to do. There was nothing he felt for Malfore, which was probably worse than hating him. At least that would be something.

He swallowed and looked back at the riders, hoping that they didn’t see anything more than Malfore and his fiancé having a wonderful reunion. That’s what they had to see. They couldn’t see anything else, not if this was going to work. Mikleo swallowed and pressed his face against Malfore’s shoulder. He hoped that it would convince them, but he couldn’t help but think about how the shoulder and person was wrong. Malfore was skinner than Sorey. Mikleo missed having something to hold and a broad shoulder to rest his head on. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a few deep breaths before stepping away. To his surprise, Malfore let him.

The man let go of him, but he still lingered close. Mikleo felt Malfore’s fingers brush against his hand, and it took a concerted effort not to jerk away. Malfore seemed to take that as permission to hold his hand, and Mikleo allowed it. He might as well start getting used to it for the future. Besides, there was something else to focus on.

One of the Squires had dismounted and was holding the horses that Michael and Muse were on. His uncle was taking his time to dismount, but Muse practically threw herself off her horse.

She stumbled in the snow, but that didn’t stop her from running towards him.

Mikleo took a step forward, barely feeling the squeeze that Malfore gave his hand before the Shepherd stepped away. Mikleo didn’t bother to pay attention to him. He just reached out for Muse as she reached for him.

He stumbled back under the force of her hug, Mikleo nearly going down. Muse stopped them just short of tipping back, clutching him close. “Oh Mikleo, you’re here. We found you.”

Mikleo nodded, curling his fingers into her clothes. “Yeah, you found me.”

“I knew we would.” Muse pulled back just enough so she could look at his face, Mikleo seeing the tears gather in his mother’s eyes. “I just knew you were out here. I was going to look until we found you.”

“Thank you.” His voice cracked on the words. Mikleo struggled to come up with something to say, but he couldn’t get the words out. He dropped his head to his mother’s shoulder, squeezing her tightly.

Muse seemed to understand. She made a soft, calming noise and rocked them. Mikleo took a deep breath, suddenly aware that there were tears running down his cheeks. He nuzzled into his mother’s shoulder, trying to wipe them off.

It wasn’t like he’d been in any danger and Sorey had quickly promised that he would get to go home, but he couldn’t help but cry. For some reason, it hadn’t hit him until his mother was holding him. All the terror of being stolen away and the thought that he would never get to go home again crashed down on him.

Muse stroked her hand through his hair. Mikleo heard her make a confused sound, but she didn’t comment on the ragged ends. She just played with it before slipping her hand down to his cheek. He leaned into her glove, Mikleo sighing when he felt another hand on his shoulder. It was a steady and familiar pressure, but Mikleo turned his head anyway. He smiled when he saw Michael standing close to him.

His uncle looked at him, Mikleo surprised by the frown that he saw. For a moment, he thought that Michael knew. His uncle had read all sorts of things for his grand history, maybe he had run across something that would show him the truth. Mikleo didn’t think Michael would send him away, his uncle wasn’t like that. But that didn’t make him worry less. Michael knew the dragons as monstrous creatures, and that might be the tipping point.

He swallowed, trying to come up with some kind of excuse when Michael took off his glove. Michael pressed his bare hand against Mikleo’s neck, shaking his head. “He’s freezing.”

Mikleo nodded, relief rushing through him. “I’ve been out here for days.”

The lie came easily, because it felt like he had. His pants were soaked through to his knees and his three layers weren’t doing too much to help. The coat was thick enough to keep out some of it, but it was scratched and shredded from his escape. The shirt under the coat wasn’t too much better. Mikleo could feel tears down his back, lines of cold down his spine. The thin undershirt was the only thing intact, but that wasn’t enough to keep out the deep cold.

He pressed closer to Muse, feeling his mother pat the top of his head. “Let’s get you back then. It’s just a few day’s ride, but we’ll get you warmed up.”

Mikleo nodded, reluctantly stepping away from Muse. He looked around at the rest of the group, watching as the Squires shifted in the snow. He counted the people and horses, his stomach dropping at the number. They had brought enough for them, which made some sense. But he couldn’t help but think that some of them had thought that he would be dead. From the way that some of the Squires were looking at him with shock, they were the ones who had believed it.

He took another step back, turning to look back at Malfore. From the look on the Shepherd’s face, he had always believed that they would find Mikleo. Then again, Malfore was staring at him like he was enchanted. The stare made Mikleo want to shiver, and he was glad he had the cold to excuse it.

He rubbed his arms, looking down at the ground. “Warm sounds good.”

“Excellent.” He watched as Malfore approached him. It gave him the time to brace himself before he looked up. He’d never had to play the part of the doting fiancé, but that was something he was going to have to learn. At least the fact that they had never met each other worked in his favor. They could be awkward and no one would think anything of it. They would just think the two of them were learning about each other. He would have to lean on that, at least until they got back to Ladylake, then Mikleo would have to think about another excuse because he was sure that Malfore wouldn’t leave him alone.

He turned towards Malfore, slowly extending his hand as Malfore reached for him. Malfore quickly reached out to grab his hand, Mikleo just stifling a flinch.

Malfore hadn’t done anything wrong and he still wasn’t doing anything wrong. Malfore had come after him when very few others would have. Malfore cared for him.

It wasn’t Malfore’s fault that Mikleo felt nothing. There was gratitude, but nothing else.

Mikleo looked down at where Malfore was holding his hand, watching as Malfore’s fingers moved. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He couldn’t conjure up a smile, but he could hold Malfore’s hand. That much he could do.

Malfore led him over to a horse, a gentle tug getting him to stop. Malfore let go of him then, the Shepherd taking off his yellow and red cape to wrap it around Mikleo. Malfore tugged it into place, reaching up to touch the side of Mikleo’s face. “I won’t let it take you again. I promise.”

Mikleo could only nod, some part of him glad that Malfore didn’t promise anything else. He wasn’t sure that he could hold the charade if Malfore had promised to kill Sorey.

He let Malfore lift him up onto the horse, Mikleo pulling the cloak more tightly around him. He only got a moment to adjust before Malfore was swinging up behind him. Mikleo straightened his back as Malfore wrapped an arm around his waist, but he didn’t do anything else. There weren’t any other horses, and Mikleo had never expected to ride with anyone else. His fiancé would want to claim the privilege.

Malfore’s arm shifted to better hold him in place, although his fingers moved lightly over his side. “I’ve got you, darling. You’re safe now.”

Mikleo couldn’t stop himself from glancing back in the direction that Sorey had flown off in, but he did stop himself from scanning the sky for a flash of silver and blue. He gave himself a short moment before he focused again. That was enough of dreaming and waiting, he’d had his short break and how he had to face reality. And he had promised Sorey that he would make it better, and that meant heading back to Ladylake and going through with everything.

He took a deep breath and rested his hand over Malfore’s. Mikleo guessed that there were words he was supposed to say, but he couldn’t get them out.

It didn’t seem to matter. Malfore twisted in the saddle, his torso moving as he motioned. “To Ladylake!”

He nudged the horse forward, the animal snorting and starting to plow through the snow. The horse didn’t seem too happy with it, and Mikleo could relate. Still, it was better than walking all the way back to Ladylake. They would make better time with the horses and Mikleo hadn’t relished the idea of having to camp out in the snow.

Mikleo turned to look back, relieved when he saw Michael and Muse riding close behind them. Having his family close made him feel better, it made him feel safe, which was laughable. There were only a few things that could hurt him, but he was more afraid of Malfore and his Squires, or maybe it was what they could do, he didn’t know. All that he knew was that he was heading back to Ladylake, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Sorey rocked back onto his haunches, staring at the line of shelves. They weren’t quite lined up completely, but it took him a moment to realize what was wrong. The floor of the room rose slightly towards one end, he could feel it in the way his tail was resting on the floor. Sorey tipped his head to the side, studying the rise in the floor.

None of the floors in the shrine were perfectly level, it’s what came with building on top of old chambers. Everything curved around to fit them. It’s what he had to do, curve things around to fit the space.

He huffed, flipping the tip of his tail. This room hadn’t been made to be a library, it was more of a general meeting room from when his grandfather and mother’s families had gathered together. The real library was a couple of floors down where the priests and priestesses had lived, but that was far too close to where the rooms flooded. His domain might have protected the area, but it wouldn’t stop the natural flow of things, it would only gentle them. Floods would come, but it wouldn’t come in a rush, just a gentle and steady rise.

Sorey sighed, leaning forward to nudge a bookshelf further against the wall. It would look uneven but the books would be safe. Besides, there was no reason to spread things out around the shrine, not when it was just the two of them.

Sorey dropped his hand to the floor, staring at his claws as he curled slightly on the floor, but he didn’t really see them. He could only see the way that Mikleo had looked as he had left the human behind him. How Mikleo had looked wrapped in the Shepherd’s cloak. How Mikleo had looked when his fiancé had kissed him.

He hadn’t dared to get close enough to see anything else, not even when the sight had made his feathers rise. Mikleo hadn’t seen the beacon of light, so it didn’t mean anything. But it meant everything, because Mikleo hadn’t seen the beacon, but had chosen the Shepherd anyway.

Sorey sighed and laid down on the floor, resting his head on the table. He looked around at the library, the urge to keep working suddenly slipping away. It had been all he had been able to think about when he had gotten back, although it was probably just a distraction. His wing was better, which meant that he could balance himself better while hauling things.

He’d gotten the rest of the bookshelves into the room along with the other crates of books. There were a few more individual books scattered around but his drive to do anything had gone. There was no need to hurry after all, it was just back to the two of them.

Sorey curled closer to himself with a sigh. His gaze drifted along the empty bookshelves until he got back to the ones that he and Mikleo had done. It was a small section compared to all the rest, which just summed up everything. It was just a short section of his life. The thought made everything worse.

He lifted his head from the table, turning to tuck it under his wing. It should have comforted him, but it just drew his attention to the silence in the shrine. It didn’t matter that it had been years, the silence still struck him.

He had grown up when the shrine had been full of life. Gramps’ family had been there, as well as his mother’s. His father hadn’t been a seraph for the first few years of his life, but Sorey had grown up when his father had slipped across that gap. But his father’s family had always been there. The entire village of Aball had always flocked more around him than his mother. But there had been people and seraphim jammed into every spare bit of space. The halls had rang with talking, praying, singing and shouting. It had been alive and there had always been someone around. Sorey remembered being able to run to anyone to be picked up and snuggled. And he had loved it.

There were many times that he had wandered through the shrine only to be snatched up and cuddled by an aunt or an uncle. He remembered the way they would swing him around and had laughed. They had called him Messmu Meqcsbebq and said that he would be starting his own family and village soon enough.

And then they had left.

Sorey understood why they had done it. He’d heard all the stories about how much trouble a Shepherd had caused to them, and he’d heard when they’d all talked about the Shepherds, even when he knew that he shouldn’t be listening. The Shepherds had been causing trouble, too much trouble to have three seraphim and their families. They had spread out after that, his father to the shrine down the mountain and his mother to Lefay. He’d been old enough to be on his own then, but he hadn’t bothered to wander far.

The world had been a terrifying place for seraphim. Sorey had listened into too many conversations that were just lists of the seraphim that the Shepherds had gotten to. That had been enough to make him not want to explore, no matter how much he read. It was obviously too dangerous, and he had been afraid of the Shepherds.

Sorey wasn’t sure if he was still afraid, but he doubted that it mattered. He’d gotten a taste of what his life would have been if the Shepherd hadn’t chased the seraphim and their families into hiding, and it made him ache with longing. He’d enjoyed having life back in the shrine, even if it was the addition of one more voice. It had been enough to get him thinking about what it would have been like to have more voices back in the shrine. More humans, more seraphim, maybe even some eggs.

He sighed, watching as his feathers moved. He watched as they settled back in place, Sorey staring at them for a moment before closing his eyes.

Mikleo was gone, and he had made his peace with that. He’d known that it was the right thing to do from the moment that Mikleo had said that they hadn’t called him. Because of course the humans hadn’t called them. Humans hadn’t called for a seraphim in thousands of years. Besides Mikleo hadn’t been happy there, not really. Sorey couldn’t imagine how anyone could be happy when they were so far away from their family and with something that scared them. But there had been times when he had thought that Mikleo could have adjusted. Or maybe they had both deluded themselves. It didn’t matter, because things were back the way that were going to be for a while.

Mikleo had promised to work to fix things on his end, but Sorey knew enough about humans to know that it would take a while. He didn’t mind that. Time was not a problem for him, it was the implication. Mikleo would work to bring the truth about the seraphim back, which would eventually leave Sorey free to find a family of his own, except that it would be too late by then. Humans were fleeting creatures.

Sorey could almost hear Atakk telling him to move on, for his own sake. After all Mikleo had been engaged before Sorey had taken him. It made sense that he would go back, especially with everything that Mikleo had explained. He had to go back and make sure his city was taken care of, it was understandable.

He closed his eyes, tempted to just doze off. Maybe if he slept a bit some of the immediacy of what he had done would go away and he would stop waiting to hear Mikleo call his name. Maybe then he would feel more like himself. Or maybe he would just dream of holding Mikleo again. Either sounded good.

Sorey resettled himself on the ground, searching for a comfortable spot only to be interrupted by the patter of paws. He opened one eye, staring at his wing. He knew who it was, but he was hoping that Atakk was on his way somewhere else. The sound of the Normin’s footsteps got louder, Sorey curling into himself for a moment before he let himself relax. He sighed, turning his thoughts inward before twisting them in the particular way he had been taught.

He felt a crackle-snap of his power before his vision blurred slightly. Sorey fought the urge to give himself a shake, it wouldn’t hurry anything up. The silver flames flickered over his body before dying away, Sorey reaching over to flick some lingering tongues off of his arm. He shook the fire free of him, turning his head as Atakk came into the room.

The Normin stopped, looking around the room before whistling. “You’re making some progress. How many rooms are clear?”

“Not many. I’ve been more focused on getting things out of the way.” Sorey walked over to the table, nudging a chair out so he could sink into it. “I don’t know where to put the other stuff.”

“Back where you found it.” Atakk cheerfully supplied the answer while clambering up onto a crate of books. “It was in that room for a reason.”

“But do we need it anymore? It’s just us.”

Atakk frowned at him before crossing his arms. “You say that like Miwj ih Meqcsbebq isn’t coming back.”

Sorey shook his head. “I’m sure Gramps will come back, just like I’m sure the lower levels will flood again.”

Atakk deflated a bit, the Normin scrubbing his paws over his face. Sorey heard Atakk mutter a muffled curse before Atakk reached up to tug off his helmet. The Normin set it beside him, Atakk scratching at the top of his head. “You’ve got me there. There’s no telling how high that will get. Best keep things safe.” Atakk sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “I guess we’ll have to repurpose other rooms, or build more. That will be a project and a half.”

“Not until we’ve stabilized the rest of the ruin.”

Atakk chuckled, waving lazily at him. “You’re going to drive us to exhaustion.”

“It’s that or have this place come down around our ears. That would be worse.” Sorey chuckled as the Normin shivered. “I don’t think we’re in danger of that quite yet.”

“No.” Atakk frowned up at the ceiling, the Normin reaching back like he still had his helmet on. Atakk didn’t seem to realize that, his paw patting absently at his head before the Normin shrugged. “But it would be a shame to have this place come down. There’s a lot of memories in here.”

Sorey hummed, looking around. He hadn’t really been anywhere but the shrine. There’d been a short span of time when he’d lived with his mother, but he’d shifted back to Mount Mabinogio when Shepherds had started getting thick around Ladylake. He’d always been in a shrine devoted to another seraph, and it had never rubbed him the wrong way until this moment. He’d always been perfectly comfortable with where he was, but now he felt restless and in a particular direction.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, closing his eyes. He only got a moment to himself before Atakk spoke up.

“You still thinkin’ about Mikleo.”

Sorey hesitated for a moment before nodding. He also expected the long sigh from Atakk. He opened his eyes as he heard the metallic clank of Atakk’s helmet. Sorey watched as Atakk settled it back on his head, the Normin giving him a stern look. It was one that he was used to after so many years with him.

Atakk took his time to adjust the helmet, the Normin fiddling with how it sat on his head. He finally nudged the visor up, leaving his paw there as he looked at Sorey. “It was for the best.”

Sorey was taken aback by the admission. “I thought you wouldn’t have said that.”

Atakk shrugged. “If he was gonna be miserable then he wouldn’t have been good to have around. If he stuck around, then he was going to be around forever. You shouldn’t have to be miserable forever with him.”

Sorey shrugged, knowing better than to comment. This sounded like one of Atakk’s gentle lectures, which meant that it was better not to interrupt. That didn’t make Atakk right, because Sorey was sure that Mikleo could have been happy, if the human had let himself be. There had just been too much for him to relax, and Sorey understood that. He felt like he was bound the same way.

His place was here, supplementing his father’s domain as his father grew more strongly into his powers. He was the one saving the shrine for when Gramps came back, but there wasn’t a real end to that. It was like he was just drifting with no real purpose, because the shrine would be done eventually. Sorey didn’t mind working on it, but he would be without something to do for centuries. The shrine might be a fine place to be now, but he was sure that it would become a cage soon enough.

He looked back up at Atakk, his heart sinking as he realized that he had zoned out for the entire lecture. Sorey swallowed and shifted in place.

Atakk took a deep breath, pausing in whatever he was going to say. The Normin tipped his head to the side before shaking it. “You let him go.”

“I know.”

“It was for the best.”

“I know.” Sorey scrubbed a hand over his face, using the moment to gather himself together. He didn’t quite manage it, Sorey giving up partway through the motion. “That doesn’t…I still miss him.”

Frustration crossed the Normin’s face, Sorey expecting another lecture. But the Normin’s face smoothed out a moment later. Atakk shook his head, the helmet clattering. “You made it harder on yourself. Both of you did. But…I miss the sound of someone else here too. This place isn’t made for just the two of us. It needs to be filled again.” Atakk craned his neck back to stare at the ceiling. The chipped paint and partial painting that was left there. It didn’t keep his attention long because Atakk looked back at him. “We’ll have to take care of that…maybe not in the old way and when this place isn’t falling apart.”

Sorey nodded, although he was sure that Atakk was thinking centuries ahead. They had that kind of time. He drummed his fingers against the table before tipping his head back.

He studied the old painting on the ceiling. Not enough was left of it to tell what it had once been, but there were bright flecks of color and gilding. Sorey was sure that Atakk had an idea of what it had once been, and that it was totally different from his. Then again, they were both guessing because no one had written about it. Great cities and wonders got written about, not shrines that were kept out of the way. Sorey wasn’t sure that the two of them couldn’t restore the painting to the way it had been, but he was sure that they could get something similar, if only in style. That might be Atakk’s job, he was more exacting about art than Sorey could be. Besides, it would mean that he could keep working.

He traced some of the grains in the table, following it until it was out of his reach before taking a deep breath. “Lefay might be a little crowded. Maybe if some of the others there would want to come…”

“That’s a great idea.” Atakk bounded off the crate, the Normin not seeming to care that his visor dropped down. He was already bustling out of the room, Sorey listening as Atakk’s words echoed through the helmet. “We’ll need to focus on stabilizing this area and clearing out the rooms. We’ll want things good and comfortable for when you get your first humans to watch over.”

The rest of was lost as Atakk turned down the hallway. Sorey shook his head looking back at the room. It was a stop-gap measure, something to fill in the space. Atakk was right about one thing, the shrine wasn’t made to be empty. It was made to have people and singing. Lefay wasn’t as large as the shrine and it didn’t have the room to grow. Besides, it was close to the ruins of their home and that couldn’t sit easy with them.

But Atakk was wrong about one thing, they wouldn’t be his first humans and he probably wouldn’t do what Atakk wanted him to do. They might not be wed in elaborate ceremonies anymore, but that didn’t meant that they still couldn’t marry. There would be plenty of people, most of them more than happy to stay with a dragon. Maybe some of them would be willing to be more than just under his protection. The problem was, he didn’t want them to be more than under his protection.

He curled his fingers on the table, taking a deep breath before standing up. All of that could come later, when he and Atakk got the rooms cleared out and a good portion of the shrine stabilized for people again.

And, maybe by then, he wouldn’t be constantly listening for Mikleo to call his name.

* * *

Mikleo lifted his head as the door to his room opened. He stared at the opening, expecting his mother to peer in. She’d been checking up on him regularly since he had come home, like she expected him to be plucked up by a dragon again. Mikleo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

He didn’t mind in the least, because it meant that he wasn’t kept in silence, and that it was never Malfore.

He’d gotten his fill of the Shepherd on the way back to Ladylake. All of the doting had been a bit much, especially when Malfore had insisted on doing everything for him and waiting on him hand and foot. Mikleo supposed that it was romantic in some way, but it chafed at him more than anything. Riding all day made him cold and exhausted, and Malfore’s constant chatter about himself and the plans for after their marriage hadn’t helped. He’d been more than ready to crawl into his mother and uncle’s tent to sleep.

Mikleo curled his fingers into his scalp, swallowing hard. He supposed that he should have used the time to get to know Malfore, but it had been all he could do to stay on the horse, even when Malfore’s arm was wrapped around his waist. The cold had driven right through him until he wasn’t sure that he could ever be warm again.

Getting home had helped, as had the day spent wrapped up in his blankets and napping. The cold had inched away from deep into his bones, but Mikleo could still feel it lingered. Then again, that might be a different cold. It had seeped in when Malfore had paid a call earlier that day.

Mikleo sighed and closed his eyes, listening as the door squeaked open again. He didn’t bother to look, ready to call out to Muse when there was a knock on the door. Mikleo frowned, turning his head to look at the door.

His uncle was standing in the doorway, Michael looked ragged and worried. Mikleo sat up, about to move away from his desk when Michael shook his head. His uncle moved across the room to sink down on the edge of Mikleo’s bed.

Michael was still in the clothes that he wore to his work in the archives, the brown scholar’s robes open now to show the blue of Ladylake underneath. The gloves that Michael used while handling old books were tucked into the belt just underneath the scholar’s robes. That meant that he had come straight from work, which meant that he had probably heard the news.

Mikleo twisted around, letting his hand drop from his hair. That motion seemed to be enough to spur his uncle into talking.

“I thought that you would try to grow it out again.”

Mikleo shook his head, reaching back to tuck a piece of his ragged hair behind his ear. “It would take too long.”

“There’s no need to rush.”

Mikleo pressed his lips together. That’s what everyone had been telling him since Malfore had come.

The Shepherd had appeared to check to see how he was doing after recovering from his ordeal. Mikleo was sure that it was meant to be a courtesy call, but he doubted Malfore could ever keep things short. Mikleo didn’t know if the man enjoyed the sound of his own voice or just liked being in the company of others. His personality made it hard to tell.

Still, courtesy call or not, the matter of the marriage had been brought up. Mikleo was grateful that Malfore had offered to postpone it at the same time he had hated it. He had been tempted to take it and let things settle again. He would grow his hair out so it could be braided and curled up in the traditional way. He would wait for his clothes to be remade instead of just patched up. He would be able to get to know Malfore when he wasn’t exhausted and freezing. It was a good idea, but he would be tempted to run. It would give him too much time, and too many things could happen.

It was better to do it before anything else got in the way.

He cleared his throat, looking back at the book. He scanned over the pages before shaking his head. It was exactly what he was looking for, but it was the best he had at home. Muse wouldn’t allow him out of the house for longer than ten minutes. Mikleo nudged the bookmark into place before closing it. He leaned against his desk for a moment before turning to look at his uncle. “We haven’t heard a lot from Marlind.”

The statement seemed to confuse Michael for a moment. Michael opened and shut his mouth before he shook his head. “There’s no news because there’s nothing new. Everyone is busy with the winter.”

“And once spring comes?”

Michael shook his head. “Spring comes slowly and the lake will flood. We’ll be safe enough.”

Mikleo bit his lip, stopping himself from pushing further. The lake was their first line of defense. Once the bridge was pulled back they would be safe but stuck. But that would only happen if Marlind got too close, and he wasn’t sure if they would. Before he had been taken there had been rumors of a plague in Marlind, but rumors didn’t make truth.

He shifted in place, trying to come up with something else, but there was nothing. That just left him with the old lies and a smile that he was sure that he wouldn’t be able to muster up. He swallowed, trying it anyway. “I just…really want to do this. I’m just afraid that, if I wait too long, that Malfore might change his mind.”

He expected the usual nod or laugh, anything that said that Michael was putting the worry aside for the moment. Instead, his uncle frowned.

Michael leaned forward, his robe falling in around him to make him look more serious. Michael folded his hands in his lap, his thumbs tapping against each other. He held his silence for a moment longer before Michael shook his head. “You don’t need to worry about that. I don’t think Malfore will be going anywhere. The man is completely in love with you. If you told him to wait years, he would.”

“You can’t know that.” Mikleo knew the words were a lie even as he spoke them.

He’d been with Malfore three days and in the center of attention. The man might be pompous and full of his own importance, but he was doting as well, which was confusing. Malfore may never stop being the Shepherd and acting like people were watching at all times, but he really seemed to care in his own way, even if everything felt like a performance. Mikleo didn’t really care to pick it apart, because it was wearing on him. Not everything needed to be a public display of affection. He still vividly remembered the way Malfore had pulled him into a kiss, thankfully without tongue, as soon as they had dismounted in the main square and Malfore had announced that they were safe.

He reached up to wipe the memory of the kiss off of his mouth, pausing when he realized what he was doing. Mikleo looked over at Michael, watching his uncle’s expression change.

Michael stared at him for a moment more before shaking his head, Mikleo breathing a sigh of relief. His mother would have pushed for an answer, but his uncle was more than willing to let him be.

His uncle rocked back on his hands, Michael sighing and settling back. Mikleo was sure that Michael would just let things drop, so he was surprised when Michael spoke up again. “I’m sure you’re tired of people asking you how you are. I’m just as sure that Muse has been in and out of here all day.”

Mikleo nodded, turning back to the books on his desk. His mother had been checking on him a lot, but Mikleo hadn’t really minded. It had meant that he hadn’t stewed in silence for too long. He had been tempted to open his window slightly, but that would let the cold in and Mikleo wasn’t ready for that. He was more than ready to chase the cold away completely. It was enough to make him wish that he was back in Sorey’s domain where the winter had been milder.

There were many things that made him wish that he was back in Sorey’s domain.

He squeezed his eyes shut, his fingers curling on the cover of the book. He couldn’t let himself think like that, not if he wanted to get through this. He needed to sit through the worst of it and just wait until they were all fond memories. Then he would be able to function again. It was just getting through them that would be the hard part.

Mikleo took a deep breath, jumping when he heard the bed creak. He turned around to face his uncle, surprised by the serious look on Michael’s face. If anything, his uncle managed to look bored by everything or just uninterested. This time, his full attention was on Mikleo with a searching look. Mikleo shifted in place, relieved when Michael shook his head. “I want to know what happened to you out there.”

Mikleo raised one shoulder in a shrug. “The dragon went to set down and I ran away and hid in a place where it couldn’t get to me. I waited until it flew away. Then I wandered the ruin until I found enough to help me get to Ladylake.” Mikleo looked down in his lap, tangling his fingers around each other. “I knew that I could find the Pughe if I stuck close to the Aroundight Forest, and that was my plan. I didn’t know that anyone was coming.”

He heard Michael snort, Mikleo looking up at his uncle. Michael rolled his eyes and gave him a smile. “Do you think your mother would let anything take you away?”

“No. I guess not.” Mikleo chuckled. “I’m just glad that you were there.”

“All of us?”

Mikleo paused with his mouth open, quick to snap it shut and shrug. He heard his uncle hum, the sound turning into s soft exclamation. “I thought so. You didn’t look too excited to see Malfore there.”

“I was cold. I thought it was a trick.”

“But you kept avoiding him.”

“I don’t know him.”

Michael gave him a long look before shaking his head. “You haven’t tried to either.”

Mikleo bit his lip, dropping his gaze back to the book. He didn’t want to talk about that because, if Michael had noticed, others might have too. It was alright if it was just his family but, if one of Malfore’s Squires noticed, then it would all be over. He could only hope that Malfore’s devotion would be enough to blind him to the obvious, even if it made him feel bad. In between the moments of grand gestures and high style, there were glimmers of someone that seemed to interesting, someone that Mikleo had almost wanted to talk to. But that person rarely came out.

He ran his thumb over the edge of the book, tracking his uncle’s movement through his footsteps. He swallowed hard when they stopped next to him. Mikleo twisted to look up at Michael, watching as his uncle looked at the title of the book.

Michael made a surprised sound before reaching over Mikleo’s arm to open the book up to the marked page. Michael scanned over the page before shaking his head. “Of all the things…” Michael tapped the page. “You were terrified of dragons when you were little, but you kept begging me for stories about them. And having nightmares. I spent nights praying that you wouldn’t have one so Muse wouldn’t lecture me the next morning. Because it was impossible to tell you no.”

Mikleo looked down at the book, looking at the illuminated letter ‘B’ that started out the prayer on the page. He ran his finger down the margin of the page, stopping when Michael rested a hand on his shoulder. Mikleo kept his gaze locked on the book, feeling Michael squeeze his shoulder. “It must have been a nightmare for you. I’m sorry. I should have…I don’t know what I should have done.”

“You didn’t know.” Mikleo stopped himself from saying anything else. No one had known what the prayer was. The book didn’t even have it labeled as anything but a prayer to a seraphim. He trailed his finger down to the part where the scribe had noted that the titles of the seraphim went in that place. He brushed his fingers over the noted spots, leaning back in his chair. “Everyone thought the dragons were dead.”

“It was an oversight, one that Councilor Bartlow is urging us to fix. According to the others, he’s been in the library every day since we left. He’s been demanding to know if there are any signs that could show that there is more than one dragon around.”

Mikleo felt his heart speed up. He had to work to keep his shock showing on his face. There were plenty of other dragons, the ones in the shrine down the mountain and Lefay. Bartlow would probably turn Malfore to the task as soon as the honeymoon was over, and Mikleo would have no way to warn Sorey. The seraphim on the other side of the Aroundight Forest might be alright, but the ones in Lefay would be found eventually. The thought sent a shiver up his spine, because he could just imagine what would happen. Either Malfore would be successful, which would hurt Sorey, or Malfore would be killed and his Squires would try to avenge him. Neither was an outcome that Mikleo wanted.

He swallowed, looking up at his uncle. “H-have they found anything else?”

Michael shook his head, a serious look crossing his face. “No, but it doesn’t matter either way. No dragon is taking you again.”

Mikleo nodded, glad that his uncle had misinterpreted the stutter in his voice. Michael could think that he was still terrified of dragons, it would keep him from discovering the lies that Mikleo was telling. His uncle might not believe the stories about humans coming back changed after spending time with dragons, but that didn’t mean that he would understand why Mikleo hadn’t tried to escape. He wouldn’t understand why Mikleo had willingly slept with Sorey. Mikleo wasn’t even sure that Michael would believe that Sorey was a seraphim. He wasn’t ready with all his evidence, not yet. Anything he said would just sound like he was crazy, or that being out in the cold had affected him.

Michael reached over to ruffle his hair, Mikleo leaning into the touch gratefully. This is what he had missed while he had been with Sorey, this contact with his family.

His uncle stepped away, walking to the doorway before pausing. Michael looked back at him, his uncle tipping his head to the side before sighing. “You know, I was afraid that you would turn into another great great aunt Lailah. I could only imagine what that had done to Muse. Great grandmother always says her mother was never the same after her sister. I’m glad we were able to come after you.”

Mikleo nodded, feeling the familiar horror start to build in his chest, but then he pushed it away. If his great great aunt had been taken by a dragon, which meant that she was probably a seraph by now. Of course, that was if a Shepherd hadn’t found her.

He leaned forward in his chair, relieved when the motion was enough to stop Michael from leaving. Mikleo looked up at his uncle, judging his mood for a moment before pushing forward. “What happened to her?”

“Oh.” Michael leaned against the doorway, his eyes going distant for a moment. Mikleo watched the corner of Michael’s mouth twitch downward before his uncle shook his head. “There was a dragon in a ruin back near Sitole, where we came from. They sacrificed Lailah to it to stop it from coming close.”

“Did it work?”

“My great grandmother said so, but that didn’t stop her mother from trying to go after her sister. She always said that her mother spent days tramping through the forest trying to find that dragon, but she never did. Great great aunt Lailah just disappeared.” Michael paused, looking at him. “I don’t think she was as lucky as you. She was eaten.”

Mikleo nodded, trying his best to look sober. But Michael was wrong, Lailah was still somewhere with her dragon. That didn’t stop him from feeling bad for the family, especially Lailah’s sister. Still, he knew that she was safe and that was something.

He sat back in his chair, watching as his uncle frowned. Michael rubbed his fingers along the edge of the doorway, his gaze distant. “That’s what everyone said, but I could have sworn that I saw her.”

Mikleo perked up at that, his eyes going wide. “Tell me.”

Michael snapped out of whatever mood had taken him, his uncle chuckling. “Is this your new bedtime story? I’ll take it over dragons.”

Mikleo huffed, waiting out his uncle. It didn’t take long for Michael to get over his amusement.

His uncle sighed and started to pull off his scholar’s robes. Michael didn’t speak until the robes were all the way off. He folded them over his arm before sighing. “It was when I came back from Marlind. Your mother came to get me. The two of us were walking back to Ladylake through Sitole and we just saw her sitting on a rock and working at something. I would have walked past her, but Muse thought she recognized her. My great grandmother had a picture that her mother drew of Lailah, and they kept that as a kind of memorial. We still have it on the mantle downstairs, and I can swear that she looked exactly like the picture. I don’t know if it was ghost or whatever else it could have been, but we just kept walking.”

Michael shivered, rubbing at his arm. “Muse and I never went that way again, so we never figured out if it was her or someone who looked like her. Muse swears that she didn’t hear anything from the woman. But I always thought she said something, our names or ‘Good luck’, but we had been on the road for days by then. We were tired.” Michael paused, tipping his head to the side before shaking his head. “I wouldn’t mention that I told you that to your mother.”

Mikleo nodded. Muse was already nervous about him, and he was more than happy to do anything to ease some of her worry. He was more than happy to keep to their house and out of sight of the people of Ladylake. They weren’t so tucked away that he couldn’t hear the gossip from the street, the talk and celebration of what the Shepherd had done. They were sure that he had killed the dragon in the old style of the Shepherds. That he would take the dragon’s hoard and gift it to his husband on their wedding, which meant the wealth would go back into Ladylake. It was all stories, but there was little else to get the people through the winter.

To his surprise, Malfore had admitted to trying to quell the stories. Then again, it was because they were creating a story that he hadn’t approved of first. Mikleo wasn’t sure which parts of the stories he didn’t like more, Malfore hadn’t been forthcoming about that. He’d been too busy asking about how Mikleo was and trying to reassure him that he would be loyal no matter how much time it would take for them to get married.

He glanced back towards the book on the desk, reaching out to rest his fingers on it. Rushing into the wedding would save him from more conversations like that at least. It would open the door to other conversations, ones that Mikleo didn’t look forward to either. Mikleo didn’t know if the conversation would be the same as the ones back to Ladylake, ones full of his deeds and his family.

All of that time to talk, and nothing had been said about himself and Malfore had asked nothing about him either.

Maybe if those questions had been asked, or maybe if there had been something about the man himself other than his role as the Shepherd. Maybe if something like that had come out this would have been easier, maybe then he could have started to feel something. At the moment he just felt annoyance and that wasn’t a good start.

He dragged his fingers over the cover of the book, pausing when his uncle shifted by the door. He looked up at Michael, watching as his uncle shook his head. “Who got you that book?”

Mikleo shrugged. “It was in your study. You might want to take it back before Owen starts to ask where it is.”

“Damn Owen.” Michael huffed and shook his head. “He doesn’t own that book, no more than he owns the others. I think he’s forgotten that.” Michael sighed and walked back into the room. He reached over Mikleo to pick up the book, turning it open to the marked page.

Michael scanned it over before shaking his head. “This was another one of Owen’s plans. Owen and Bartlow. Apparently the old prayers and songs weren’t good enough for the two of them, not when a Forton was going to be married into Ladylake. They couldn’t have a royal wedding, so they wanted enough pomp and circumstance to make people forget it wasn’t.”

“I don’t think they’ll forget it now.”

“No.” Michael’s fingers curled on the book, his uncle taking a deep breath. “We won’t be doing this one again, Owen is sure that it’s bad luck. But we’ll find one just as grandiose, I’m sure of it.”

Mikleo looked up at his uncle watching as Michael’s jaw worked. He tried to keep his face neutral even with the frantic turning of his thoughts. If there was another prayer, Mikleo was sure that there would be blank spots to insert the titles of a seraph. There was every chance that they would put the titles of another seraph, which meant that the dragon might not even come. If they were far away enough, whatever power the name had over them would wear out before they got from Ladylake. Then there was a chance that the names of Sorey’s father or mother or even Sorey himself would be added in. And then there would be another dragon. Mikleo was sure that everyone would be surprised, but Malfore wouldn’t let him be taken again. What would happen afterward made him want to shiver.

Malfore would be dead or the seraph would. Either way, that was bad.

His fingers twitched as he came to a decision. He sat up straight, meeting his uncle’s gaze. “Can the prayer be to the Lady of the Lake?”

Michael looked taken aback, his uncle staring at him. Then Michael nodded slowly, a smile crossing his face. “That would be suitable, for more suitable than whatever seraph that Owen dragged out. Lord of Lightning? Last time I checked, patrons of Ladylake and Pendrago were not Lord Zenrus. Not that I mean any insult.”

Michael did a partial bow, Mikleo not really seeing it. He was seeing the preparations that he had ignored the first time. In their reach for a grand ceremony they had gone to the seraph just below the Great Lords themselves. Except that something had gone wrong. Maybe it was a mistranslation or the order that the names had been written in. Or maybe someone made a mistake transcribing the old book, and had put Sorey’s names instead. However it had happened, a mistake had been made and the consequences had played out. All Mikleo had to do was make sure that it never happen again.

If Sorey showed up again, he wasn’t sure what he would do, and that had to be avoided at all costs.

He dropped his hands into his lap, trying to keep them as still as possible. There couldn’t be a dragon hiding in Ladylake, it would have been noticed. Besides, they knew the titles for the Lady of the Lake, so it would be safe. They could pray all they wanted but no seraph would come, and that would be for the best.

Mikleo looked back at his uncle as Michael took a step back towards the door. Michael lifted the book in a salute. “I’ll take care of this. It might finally be enough to get Owen to shut up.”

Mikleo managed a smile at that, watching his uncle walk out of the room. The smile only lasted until Michael was gone, then Mikleo leaned forward. He pushed his fingers through his hair, wincing at the ragged edges. He remembered the weeks and months that he had spent preparing for the wedding, of dealing with his hair as it grew longer. Dealing with fittings and lessons until he was sure that his head would explode with it.

At least there would be none of that this time. He had the clothes and the lessons, he would have to get his hair trimmed. He had no intention of letting things drag on until it had grown again.

Mikleo played with the ragged ends for a moment longer before standing up. He didn’t want to sit curled in his room, not when it went silent like the ruin. He shook his head, clearing any thoughts about just whose voices he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear his mother and uncle’s just as badly.

He turned to look out his window, sighing when he saw that the sun was setting. That at least meant that he was safe from Malfore, if only for another day. He could go downstairs without having to hear about the great deeds of the Shepherds or any more professions of love. He could be with his family and enjoy that.

Mikleo nodded to himself and walked out of the room, heading towards the sound of his mother and uncle’s voices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ancient Tongue Translations:  
> Messmu Meqcsbebq - Little Lightning (Sorey’s Title)  
> Miwj ih Meqcsbebq- Lord of Lightning (Zenrus’ Title)  
> Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw -Lightning-Bright Pathmaker (Sorey’s ture name)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has dragon on human sex. If you want to avoid this, you can use the find function or scroll down to the part immediately following the scene. When you hit this line “But that didn’t mean that he didn’t want to try”, either scroll to the next paragraph break-line or down until you hit this/Ctrl+F “Mikleo stumbled out into the hallway.”

“Follow thy heart and thy happiness as long as thou art on earth.”  
- _Everyday Life in Egypt During the Days of Ramesses the Great_ , Pierre Montet

* * *

 

Her footsteps echoed loudly in the shrinechurch, Alisha wincing and trying to step lighter. It was hard in her boots, and she couldn’t quite manage it. Alisha was sure that it was done on purpose, so that everyone was reminded that the seraphim were listening. Truth must be spoken in the shrinechurch, because lies would be useless. Seraphim could see into the hearts and souls of people.

Alisha paused in the center of the shrinechurch, spinning her ring nervously on her finger. She glanced around, sighing when she saw nothing but columns and statues. Alisha shook her head, turning in place.

She didn’t often seek out the shrinechurch in the early morning, it was too empty. It didn’t feel right like the right kind of empty, not as restful as some of the priests said. Maybe it was a matter of practice. The priests were used to the shrinechurch at all hours, it was part of the rhythm of their lives. Her days were filled with people from the moment she got up to the moment she went to bed. Silence was a foreign thing. It was something that she stole for herself. If she came upon it naturally, it felt unnatural.

Alisha swallowed, turning slowly in place. Just because it was quiet didn’t mean the shrinechurch wasn’t beautiful. It was highly decorated, every piece of stone carved into grand shapes and every piece of glass colored. The columns rose to the ceiling high above her head, the stone sparkling with the light from the grand windows along the wall and in the dome. At the right time of day, it looked like water with the way the light moved. Like the shrine was back underwater with the rest of the city.

She walked over to one of the columns, running her fingers over the feathered edge of a seraph’s wing. She smiled up at the benign face far above her reach, stretching her arm as far up the wing as she could reach.

There were many seraphim like this around the church, all of them with different faces. That made it impossible to tell which one was the seraph who had pulled Ladylake out from the waters of the lake.

Alisha remembered asking the priests which one was Viviane, and they had all given her different answers. She was the one by the door, or the one by the altar, or the one in the direct center. She’d even gotten an answer that she was represented in abstract in the stained glass. Alisha hadn’t been able to see that, and she and peered at all of the other ones trying to find Viviane. She had never found someone that she felt right to represent the seraph.

None of the faces looked like a seraph who had come to a Shepherd after he had prayed in desperation for a place for his people. They all looked too stern or distant. Viviane had to be a seraph of compassion, someone who saw good in a small group of tired humans and had listened to their pleas. Not only had she listened, she had pulled an ancient city out of a lake, providing them the perfect place to live. There were houses and buildings already there, kept safe from their time in the lake, and the lake itself to keep out their enemies.

In some versions, she had remained herself. In others, the Shepherd who had brought them there had pledged himself to the defense of the city, sometimes he even styled himself as prince. There had once been a time when the princesses and princes had been called the Shepherd Kings, although that had quickly been stopped by a Shepherd who had come out of the Guest Mountains and reorganized them all to kill dragons. She had learned that from one of Mikleo’s books.

Alisha smiled at the memory, giving the wing one last pat before starting to make her way through the shrinechurch. Now that she had settled into it the silence was peaceful. It was an encouragement to prayer now. Alisha flinched at the reminder.

She was long overdue for a prayer of thanks, both for Rose and Mikleo’s return. But things around her had been so busy, and the palace’s chapel didn’t seem right. It was a shrinechurch just the same, but it didn’t have the weight that the main shrinechurch did. It didn’t feel like the seraphim were watching in the smaller chapel. The shrinechurch seemed the right place to say prayers for her future marriage and for Mikleo’s. After all, she had prayed with Mikleo the night before his wedding and she had thought that he would do the same for her, until he was taken. When that had happened, she didn’t know who would kneel with her when it came time for her wedding. It was a sorry thing to be grateful for, but it had been one of the thoughts spinning through her head.

Alisha reached for her ring, tracing over the sapphires that dotted the top. It was an understated thing, something that wouldn’t get in the way while she was working or prevent her from practicing with her spear. It was the sort of things she expected from Rose, from a merchant her knew her buyers. That didn’t make her treasure it any less.

She paused to press a kiss to the ring, holding it against her lips for a moment before continuing down the center aisle. She glanced from side to side, looking for the little chapels that were scattered toward the altar end of the church. Usually they were full of people, praying to the statues of the seraphim and avoiding the ferocious dragon statues that guarded the entrance.

Alisha glanced at one of them, smiling fondly at the memory of running through the shrinechurch with Mikleo, the two of them ducking and dodging around the columns to make sure the dragons couldn’t see them. Alisha didn’t know what they had been so afraid of, they had known that they were statues and couldn’t harm them. Then had been sure that dragons didn’t exist anymore, but it was fun to play at being scared.

Alisha slowed down when she saw movement in one of the chapels. She turned in place, pausing when she saw Mikleo lingering outside one of the chapels.

It was still early enough for the sun to be coming through on that side of the shrinechurch, all the chapels lit up in bright color. Mikleo lingered by the one in blue, bathed by the light and the water pattern. When they had been children, they had laughed and pretended that they were living in the city when it was still underwater. That was the Mikleo she was used to seeing. The one she was seeing now was the one who had appeared during that night they had prayed together. The one that had been silent all night and wouldn’t answer her questions with anything more than an empty smile.

That empty smile was gone now, and replaced by something strange.

Mikleo wasn’t in the chapel praying like she had guessed his would be, he was lingering outside with the statues.

She had gotten over her fear of the statues, real and pretend. They were just stone and skill, they weren’t real like the dragon that had taken Mikleo away. But she hadn’t thought that Mikleo had gotten over his fear. He had always ducked and dodged away from the statues’ line of sight, like that would protect him. Then again, Mikleo had faced the real thing. What were stone statues to him?

Alisha walked forward, surprised when Mikleo didn’t turn to look at her. He was focused entirely on the statue. She watched as he reached up, no hesitation in the motion.

He ran his hand over the dragon’s head, ignoring the snarling mouth and the sharp teeth. Mikleo continued to stare into the dragon’s eyes as he stroked it, his fingers brushing over the tip of the dragon’s horns and around its jaw. His fingers lingered there, Mikleo leaning in close. His sigh was easy to hear in the silence of the chapel. “You understood, right? That this wasn’t something I wanted to do, it was something I _had_ to do and…and I wanted, I _really_ wanted…”

Mikleo seemed to remember himself before he could finish his thought. He jerked away, but he didn’t pull away completely. He still leaned back in, like he was drawn to the dragon.

Alisha shivered at the thought. There were plenty of stories that she had been told, by her tutors and then the ones that Mikleo told her, the ones where people had been stolen by dragons or lived in the places that the dragons had once been. They had gone in human but came out strange, twisting beings. There were pictures of them in books and in some of the dark corners of older buildings. They were meant to scare away the evil things that lurked in the dark, the hellions that came before the daemonblight that consumed people.

She took another step forward, opening her mouth to speak when Mikleo turned to look at her. His eyes went wide, Mikleo dropping his hand away. “Alisha!”

She nodded at him, stepping closer into the blue half circle of light from the chapel. “I looked for you last night, but you weren’t there. Unless I missed you.”

“No.” Mikleo shook his head. “No, I…I didn’t come until just a few hours ago. I didn’t feel up to it. It was so cold.”

Mikleo shuddered, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

Alisha sighed, tapping her thumb against her ring. He was lying, or at least somewhat so. It _was_ cold in the shrinechurch, but nothing to the cold outside. Who knew how many days Mikleo had been trudging through the snow and ice before Muse, Michael and the others had picked him up. Still, there was something else bothering him.

She looked around the empty shrinechurch before stepping into the chapel. As always, there was a small altar with a winged seraph on it, but along either side were benches for those who wanted to bask in the presence of the seraph. They were creaky and the padding on top of them was worn from so many people seeking out the comfort of the seraphim.

Alisha sat down on one, sitting in the awkward space between the ruts. She ran her hands through her hair, sighing when she realized she hadn’t pulled it up. She dropped her hands into her lap as Mikleo came to sit next to her. Alisha turned to face him, watching as Mikleo seemed to shrink into himself.

She frowned at the bags under his eyes, leaning forward to look at them. “Have you been sleeping?”

Mikleo gave her a broken smile, one that came in fits and jerks and never really crossed his face. “I’ve been too excited.”

Alisha dug her nails into her palms, looking Mikleo over before shaking her head. “Tell me the truth.”

“Alisha-”

“No. I think I deserve it.” She took a deep breath, trying to keep the words from rushing out. “One day I get the news that the Fortons are interested in a match with Ladylake, the next day it’s with you and you’re proclaiming how in love you are with a man you never met. I was more than willing to let it go because it wasn’t me and because I thought this was something you wanted. But you didn’t and don’t bother to lie about it. I saw the way you practically ignored everything going on for your wedding, about how you never input one thing about what you wanted. Every time they wanted to do something they came to me. Even when we came in here to pray I couldn’t help but remember when we were in here with Uno. Do you remember?”

Mikleo nodded slowly, his gaze drifting back to the dragon statues. “He didn’t say a word all night. He just stared at the seraphim and cried.”

Alisha nodded. It hadn’t been loud crying or messy crying, she was sure that Uno had worked his way through that in the weeks coming up to the wedding when nothing had been stopped. He had been crying in despair, in lost hope and it had hurt because she had known that she couldn’t have done anything. Or maybe she could have, but she had been too new in her power as princess and afraid of how far she could stretch it. If the wedding had been later, maybe she could have done something.

She bit her lip, looking over at Mikleo again. “You didn’t say a word the whole night and you looked distant the next day. I would have called any interruption a blessing, except for the one we had. And then you came back…strange.” Mikleo opened his mouth to speak, but Alisha shook her head. “I know you were out there alone and in the cold for days, but you’re acting like none of it happened. You’re continuing at work and going forward with the wedding.”

“I don’t see why it has to be delayed.” Mikleo raised one shoulder in a shrug. “He’s made it clear that he wants me.”

“And what about you?”

The question made Mikleo fumble, Alisha watching his mouth work before he shook his head. She pressed her lips together, studying Mikleo before leaning back against the stone.

She looked down at her hands, watching the light from the glass play over them. “You know that they talked about me marrying Malfore before there was an agreement with you. Weeks of talking, negotiations and coming to terms with what would be for the sake of Ladylake. And then word comes back that he’s chosen you. And it just made me wonder…why?”

Mikleo raised a shoulder in a shrug. “You had the merchant girl, the one who was always flirting with you. You must have been keeping it a secret because even I didn’t know. But I saw you two one day and thought that it wasn’t fair, because I wasn’t attached to anyone. It didn’t seem like such a big deal at the time.”

“At the time?”

Mikleo hunched into himself, his gaze dropping to the floor. Alisha kept quiet, waiting him out.

It didn’t take long, Mikleo taking a deep breath before looking at her. “There is…something I never told the others. I just didn’t want to think about it, because I saw what something like this did to Uno. But there was someone in the…in the ruin I hid in. He helped me survive and get ready to go on the road.”

“And?”

“And I had to leave.” Mikleo went silent for a moment before he took a deep breath. He looked at her, Alisha pleased to see some of his old fire back. Mikleo sat up, dragging a hand through his hair. He paused at the end, seeming confused by the length of it. He dropped his hand away a moment later. “Because I had given my word. I’m afraid of what would happen to Ladylake if I decided to break my promise. Ladylake and him.”

Alisha curled her hands into fists. “He wouldn’t touch this city.”

“He wouldn’t have to touch it.”

“Mikleo,” she turned to face him, watching as he stared at her in surprise. “Ladylake and the people are mine to worry about. If Malfore or any of his family try to harm anyone in this city, then they will deal with me.”

The corner of Mikleo’s mouth twitched up into something like a smile. “And when Marlind comes after us?”

“We have the lake and we aren’t totally without friends.” Alisha looked down at her ring before pulling it off. She wiggled the fingers of her left hand, suddenly struck by how odd it felt not to have the ring on there. She hadn’t taken it off save for when she had taken her baths since Rose had put it on her.

She looked at the ring before reaching over and setting it in Mikleo’s palm. Alisha watched as Mikleo stared at it with wide eyes. Alisha nodded at the ring. “That is from my merchant friend, Rose.”

“When?”

“While you were gone.” Alisha took back the ring and slid it back on. She twisted it around her finger for a moment before shrugging. “Rose was trying to get this done for a while.”

Mikleo shook his head. “It would have been too late then.”

“Probably not, the council is always looking for advantages, and Rose has a lot that can outweigh Malfore.” Alisha leaned back against the wall, staring out into the shrine. “We’ll have access to a shipping company and a mercenary group, and bound to both by marriage. The Fortons can just give us influence in Rolance. And I don’t think that Lastonbell or Pendrago would sent us an army, even with the Fortons badgering them. All that offers us is a grasp at power. It’s something that the council would want.”

“But…Marlind…”

“Won’t be a problem.” Alisha shifted in place. “I think we’re covered either way. Even if the council had tried to accept the deal, I have the final say. And I would have said no.”

Mikleo looked at her with a stricken expression, Alisha wanting to reach out to touch him, but she held herself back. He looked like he was seriously thinking over something. His fingers twitched in the air before he got up and started pacing.

Alisha watched him go, giving him his moment before she leaned forward. “Mikleo, why didn’t he come back with you?”

That got Mikleo to stop in his tracks. He stared at one of the dragon statues, swaying slightly in place. Alisha thought she saw him reach out for the statue, but then he was grabbing onto his other arm and held onto himself. When he spoke, it was barely above a whisper. “He couldn’t.”

Alisha frowned and got up from the bench. She moved closer to him, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

The touch made him shudder, Mikleo looking back at her. “He wouldn’t be safe here. People would think that he has daemonblight.”

Alisha sucked in a quick breath. “Does he?”

Mikleo shook his head. “No. He just…doesn’t look like us.”

Alisha breathed out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t heard of any cases of daemonblight outside of the stories. Now that she said it, she felt a little stupid. Mikleo had said that he had ended up in Kylfe, so he had probably found someone who had survived the attack there. That could account for any kind of injury or disfigurement. Alisha wasn’t quite as sure that Ladylake would turn against anyone like that, but she didn’t know. The city was still nervous after what happened with the dragon.

Then again, everyone thought the dragon was dead.

She chewed on her lip, considering the options before she shrugged. “If you can’t stay here, then why don’t you go to him?”

Mikleo spun around to face her, frantically shaking his head. “No, I couldn’t. I promised Malfore…and there’s my family and you…”

“Kylfe isn’t that far away.”

“I…” Mikleo stared at her with wide eyes. “I _can’t_. I promised to look into something to help him. It’s important.”

“Do we have the books for it?”

“No…There are better ones left behind.”

“So, why did you come here?”

Mikleo went silent, his gaze going distant. He stood there for a moment, his fingers curling into his sleeve. “I…I…” His gaze dropped back to her. “I had to let you guys know that I was alright.”

“I’m grateful for that.” Alisha took a step forward, reaching out to gently pry his fingers away from his arm. “But you should go back there or…maybe a compromise, a little bit closer so you can visit.”

“The wedding…”

“Do you want to get married?”

Mikleo looked away, Alisha smiling at the motion. It meant that she was right, and it meant that he knew it too. Mikleo sighed, shaking his head. “Alisha, I don’t know him.”

“And you know Malfore any better?”

Mikleo kept shaking his head, finally stepping away from her. “I gave my word. I made all of the arrangements and I promised that I would marry him.”

Alisha stared at him torn between backing away and shaking him. Mikleo would probably come around if she gave him more time, except that he didn’t have much of it left. He had spent most of his time tucked away in his house away from where she could easily reach him.

She watched as he turned away, Mikleo walking back over to one of the statues. He went back to staring at the dragon, but the set of his shoulders told her that he was aware that she was still there.

Alisha watched him for a moment more before turning on her heel and walking away from the chapel. She would leave him alone with his thoughts and hope that would be enough to help him make up his mind. Alisha glanced around at the rest of the shrinechurch as she stepped into the main aisle. Her gaze drifted to the main altar in the back, the sight of it tempting her.

It wouldn’t hurt to offer a few more prayers to the seraphim. If not for the wedding, then for Mikleo. She could pray and hope that he made the right choice.

* * *

Mikleo stared at his reflection, struck by the strange feeling of déjà vu. He looked his reflection up and down, trying to see himself as anyone else, but he couldn’t do it. The face looked familiar but everything else was strange and distant like it was before. He almost didn’t recognize himself.

The clothes were the same, fine beyond anything he could afford, but that was because they had been given to him by the royal family. It was a little better now that they were ragged, although the seamstresses and tailors had been hard at work. It was hard to tell where the tears were, but he knew. He reached out to touch one, running his fingers over the line of lighter silk.

The sleeves of his coat were darted with that same lighter silk, and a few strips of it had been added around the coat, all to hide where Sorey’s claws had snatched at it and where he had ripped it himself. The second shirt, the one with his whole life embroidered on it, had suffered less. There were a few patches where they couldn’t work the stains out completely. Mikleo was sure one of them was from after Sorey fell. He was tempted to reach back and touch it, but he held himself still.

Everything was already piled on him and set carefully in place. There wasn’t as much to do as the last time, especially since his hair didn’t need to be braided, but someone had decided that he needed something extra in place of it. He was draped with even more beads and shells, probably to make up for the lack.

Mikleo had a good idea of who had decided it, especially considering the way that the Cardinal had glared at him as he had processed out of the shrinechurch early that morning. The man was a stickler for tradition, so it was just a matter of figuring out what he had done that offended the most; his callous regard of the night of cleansing prayers or the fact that he hadn’t waited until his hair was the right length to braid and put up. Mikleo was sure that both were equally as offensive to him. The Cardinal could be an uncompromising man.

He closed his eyes, listening to the scuff of feet on the floor and the rattle of his beads and shells. He ignored both of them, trying to find the calm that he had felt during the first ceremony. Mikleo didn’t need to be thinking about how Malfore wouldn’t care about the deeds carefully embroidered on his shirt or the fact that he didn’t care enough to know what a partial insult it was not to have his hair long and braided. How else was he to declare that he was willing to stay after a year?

The sound of a door creaking made him open his eyes. Mikleo turned his head just in time to see the edge of a dress disappearing around the door. It was the dress of one of Alisha’s ladies-in-waiting.

Mikleo tipped his head to the side, staring at the door for a moment before he turned to look at who was left in the room. He had been hoping for some kind of bustle, that way it would be easy for him to zone out. Instead there was only his mother.

Muse wasn’t looking at him, she was cradling a headdress in her hands. It was completely different from the one that he had worn the first time. That had been bedecked with jewels and pearls, and in the bright blue of Hyland. This was faded, almost more purple than blue. There weren’t any jewels on it, just embroidery. It was worn in places, Mikleo seeing where generations of pins had been slid into place and where generations of braids had been coiled against it. It would look completely strange with everything else he was wearing, but Mikleo would be happy for it.

He reached back to run a hand through his hair, stopping when Muse chiding him and stepped forward. “No. Let me do it.”

Mikleo sighed and dropped his hand to the side, wincing at the clattering of beads.

If Muse saw, she didn’t comment on it. She just walked around behind him, Mikleo leaning back as her fingers combed through his hair. Muse just combed it out for a while before she made a thoughtful noise. “There’s not much we can do here.”

“Am I a lost cause?”

“Never.” Muse laughed, her hands slowing down. “We’re just going to cast aside tradition for a bit. There’s enough here to make sure the headdress stays. And that’s the important thing. You just might to be careful how you walk, but it will stay. It’s not like you’ll be doing much, just walking. Malfore looks too stern to do anything but process.”

Mikleo was sure that he was supposed to smile, but he could only stare at his reflection. He caught his mother’s gaze for a moment, watching as Muse’s eyes went wide before she ducked her head.

Silence fell between them, something that Mikleo didn’t want. He dropped his gaze to the floor, staring at the carpet that covered it as Muse moved. He felt her fingers tap against his chin, Mikleo lifting his head up, but he didn’t dare meet her gaze. He focused on something behind him in the mirror, standing still as she started to settle the headdress into place. Every once and a while he would feel her brush her fingers against his hair, but otherwise she remained quiet.

He swallowed as she moved around him, finding himself staring at her neck as Muse came around in front of him. Muse messed with the way his hair sat around the headdress. Mikleo started to close his eyes, snapping them open as Muse started speaking.

“I remember wearing this when I got married. I could barely sit still long enough for Mama to do my hair. I remember running out the door as soon as the last pin was in.” Muse chuckled, Mikleo looking up in time to catch her smile. It lingered on her face as Muse started to put the pins in. “I don’t know how it stayed on my head with everything that I pulled. We didn’t even had a calm lake, we just had a section of river that wasn’t as fast as the others. It was common for a bride to go overboard before they reached their spouse. It just meant that they could shove their spouse into the river to pay them back for laughing. I might not remember much about my wedding, but I do remember that, the laughter.”

A pin scraped against his scalp, Mikleo hearing his mother mutter an apology before she started talking again. “I always imagine that you would get married by that stream. And then wearing this. I always imagined that same laughter either way. I always imagined you happy.”

“I am happy.”

“Are you?” Muse stopped to look at him, Mikleo trying to avoid her gaze. He managed for a while before Muse cupped his face in her hands. “I spent _days_ with that man and there’s nothing that I could see that would make you like him. I’ve watched him with you and you are always leaning away.”

“I was just tired.”

“Then postpone the wedding. You can, because I don’t think Malfore is going anywhere.”

Mikleo shivered at the reminder. He knew that Malfore would wait, he was sure that the Shepherd would trail after him for years until Mikleo managed to send him away. But he couldn’t because Malfore was important to keeping Ladylake safe.

Or was he?

Alisha had said that her fiancée had resources that Malfore would never be able to bring. A way to constant resources and reinforcements for the Blue Valkyries was far better than influence far away. Influence might not work, but a promise of aid always meant something. It was a far better deal, for the both of them because Mikleo couldn’t remember seeing Alisha so happy. But that was something between her and her fiancée. What he had was different.

Mikleo swallowed and ducked his head. “I gave my word.”

Muse sighed, sliding the last pin into place before she stepped back. She folded her hands in front of her, looking him up and down before shaking her head. “You did, and it’s admirable of you to keep it. But you’re within your rights to refuse.”

Mikleo shook his head, not bothering to explain himself. He didn’t want to hear what he was able to do, because then he would think about it. He was tired of hearing about escape plans when he made up his mind.

What he was doing was still important. Having everything that Alisha’s fiancée brought was important, but it would be better if they had all of that _and_ the Forton’s influence. Besides, the Fortons might take offense at what he was doing and try to get their allies to march on Ladylake. Alisha’s fiancée might not be able to bring her promised forces to bear.

He had taken his moments of happiness back when he was with Sorey, and he was holding them close to his heart. That would be enough. He would make it be enough.

Mikleo heard his mother take a deep breath, Muse cut off by a knock at the door. He turned to look, watching as one of Alisha’s ladies-in-waiting peeked in.

The woman gave a partial bow, her knuckles white where her fingers were curled around the door. “Everything is ready.”

“So am I.” Mikleo spoke up before Muse could say anything. He stepped away from her, heading to the door. The woman was quick to push it open, Mikleo dropping his gaze away. They probably though that he was cursed or worse, and he wasn’t about to tell them otherwise. It would mean explaining too much, and he didn’t feel up to it. He wanted to get through the ceremony and everything afterward as quickly as possible. Maybe tomorrow everything would feel right again, or maybe tomorrow he would be better at lying to everyone and himself.

He set his jaw, tipping his head up as he walked down the hall. It was an easy walk, and shorter than he remembered. Then again, he’d already done it once, and the hard part was done. The hard part had been walking out of his room and into the shrinechurch to attempt to pray. He hadn’t managed that though, he had spent too much time staring at the dragon statues. He remembered being afraid of them once, but he hadn’t felt afraid. He’d felt longing.

Mikleo curled his hands into a fist, digging his nails into the palm. He couldn’t allow himself to fall into that circle of thought. He had to keep his chin up and his pace steady as he walked. It was an important part of the procession. He had to look like he wasn’t afraid and that he wasn’t affected by anything. They were probably waiting for another dragon to swoop in and take him, or start eating everyone in the city. As long as they he held steady, they would think that there was nothing to fear.

That didn’t make walking forward any easier. Each step was an effort, Mikleo pressing his nails harder against his palms until he was sure that they were going to start to bleed. He stopped himself short, taking a deep breath. He couldn’t be anything but perfect, at least until he was behind closed doors. Then he could shout or run as he pleased.

He squinted as he stepped out into the light, blinking to clear his vision. But the time his eyes had adjusted, the honor guard had moved off. Alisha was the only one who lingered behind, the princess giving him a long look. Mikleo tensed at it, suddenly sure that she was seeing through him. It was enough to make him wish that he hadn’t told her about Sorey. It didn’t matter that it had been mostly a lie, it was still too close to the truth.

Mikleo jerked his gaze away, focusing on the backs of the guards. It was easier than looking at Alisha and her knowing stare. It was easier to look out at the people, watching as they took in the sight of him in his wedding clothes again. He expected a kind of silence but, to his relief, the people started to break out into cheers. No one looked as ecstatic as they had been, but there was still hope on their faces, and it hurt more than he thought it would.

He focused on the back of the guards ahead of him, just listening to the crowd and the sound of footsteps behind him. In between the jingle of his shells and beads he could hear the steps of his mother, uncle and Alisha behind him. He took a deep breath, resisting the urge to look back at them. He knew what he would see, the worry and the confusion about what he was doing. It shouldn’t have mattered, because he was supposed to be sure of his course. He had thought that he was sure.

Mikleo breathed out slowly, letting the guards lead him down to the canal as he looked around. The people were starting to warm up to the celebration, Mikleo wishing that he could block out their cheers. They were too loud, and they weren’t helping the way his stomach twisted and turned.

The way he was reacting didn’t make sense either. He had made sure that he was ready for this. All he had to do was sit in a boat and then walk up a bridge. It was simple. Then he never had to be at home. He had a project to work on, one that would take his entire life and benefit the world. It was the sort of thing that could take a lifetime, and Mikleo was sure that he would be glad to do it. He had to be because there would be nothing for him if he gave up that. There would only be a lifetime with Malfore, and Mikleo was sure that he couldn’t survive that.

He looked away from the crowd, scanning over the sky. Mikleo didn’t know what he was looking for, maybe the sight of a cloud that would allow him to call it off because of oncoming storm. That would buy him more time to rein himself in, but Mikleo had a feeling that it would just give him the chance to think about this whole thing again.

He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, trying to clear it, but the thought wouldn’t go away. It stuck there in his mind, repeating with every step.

 _I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to do this_.

Mikleo opened his eyes at the sound of boots on wood. He swallowed at the sight of the dock and the boat waiting there. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it was the same boat. The carvings looked the same, but he couldn’t focus on them. All he could see were the candles, offering and pillows waiting for him.

He tangled his fingers in the beads, lingering at the end of the dock. It wasn’t a part of the ceremony, he was supposed to walk to the boat without hesitation. Instead, he couldn’t step on the wood, not when there would be only one way to go.

Mikleo tore his gaze away from the boat, intending to glance up at the sky. He wasn’t sure what kind of sign he was looking for, what kind of permission that he needed to take that step forward. Maybe there would be a clear sign there, like a beacon of light or a flash of silver.

Instead he found himself staring up at the people who had gathered on the tier above the canal. They were all nobility, the kind of people who had enough power to get a close look at where he would descend into his boat. They would also get the easiest path down onto the shores of the lake, which meant that they would get to see most of the ceremony.

He scanned along the row of eager faces, Mikleo trying to work out what they were so excited about. He gave up moments later. His family might have moved in powerful circles, but they had never forgotten where they had come from. In their hearts and in his, they were just simple people, good at their jobs. He couldn’t begin to think like them, the closest he had every gotten was friends with Alisha. From what he could see, most of them looked excited, although it was probably the excuse to mingle with Malfore or the idea of a feast. He caught more than a few of them glancing up at the sky, like they expected a dragon would swoop down on them at any moment.

Mikleo risked a glance up, surprised by how much he wished that it were true. He wanted to see silver and blue feathers, but he would take any kind. If there was a dragon in the area, he would take it.

He swallowed hard, trying to squash the thought. It would get him nowhere but longing, which was just as dangerous as dreaming. He had a set task, something that would keep him well distracted once he could sneak away from whatever honeymoon would happen. That was something that he had to cling to with both hands. He had taken his stolen moments to hold onto, all of them little sparks of flame, like the silver ones that surrounded Sorey. It wasn’t much, but he could make it last. He had to make it last.

Mikleo lifted his chin, stepping forward onto the pier. He thought he heard one of the council breathe a sigh of relief. Some part of him wanted to turn to glare at them, but he didn’t dare hesitate, he didn’t have time for that. The boat was waiting, as was Malfore.

He took another step forward, making his way down the pier. He tried to keep his pace steady, the same, almost floating stride that Alisha would use for official ceremonies. He couldn’t quite manage it with the same grace, but Mikleo sure it was right. The people didn’t want him after all, they wanted a show. They wanted a promise of something better, he might as well look the part.

Mikleo fixed his gaze on the balcony on the other side of the canal, intending to stare at the stone as he walked. That way he could move forward blissfully unaware of what was going on around him. The sound of the crowd chanting and singing could be left behind and he could sink back into himself and the cold he was sure he could find there. It was already cold enough in the city, Mikleo hoped that it would hold and keep him going through the day.

He lifted his chin slightly, his gaze scanning over the railing only to jerk up when he spotted a familiar face leaning on the balcony.

Mikleo came to a stop at the end of the pier, barely paying attention as the attendants streamed past him to load up the boat. He was too busy staring up at where Uno was leaning on the railing.

He almost didn’t recognize his friend. Uno had been married for a year and a half, but he looked like he had aged years. His face was thinner and there were bags under his eyes. He was slumping over the railing, but that was the only thing that he was allowed. Otherwise, Uno was impeccably dressed, and Mikleo couldn’t think of a reason why he wouldn’t be. The man that Uno had been married off to was one of the most influential noblemen in Ladylake. His husband wouldn’t have allowed Uno to go out in anything other than perfectly put together. Uno’s appearance reflected the family, and it had to be perfect. As long as he looked like that, Mikleo was sure that Uno’s husband didn’t care.

Mikleo met Uno’s gaze, waiting for something, some kind of show of life from his friend. He hadn’t heard from Uno in a long while, and he had pushed it away that they were both busy. He had his work in the library and Uno had plenty of things to worry about himself. Maybe they would have time to catch up now that they were both married and their husbands would be moving in the same circles. Having Uno around would make all the parties worthwhile.

He smiled up at Uno, the smile faltering and died when Uno just stared at him. Mikleo was sure that Uno saw him and knew him, it just looked like there was nothing there.

Mikleo swallowed, watching Uno. The smiling man he had known was gone, replaced with someone he didn’t know. Mikleo didn’t know where it had happened, although he could guess.

It might have started when Uno’s parents had announced the match. Mikleo had been there for that. He had sat beside Uno as his friend’s face had gone white, and he had sat by Uno as he had tried to figure a way out of the marriage. He had been there as the days had ticked down and Uno schemed. He had helped Uno sneak into the shrinechurch every night so Uno could meet with Breunor. He had been there when Uno had given up fighting and staring hoarding moments. And he had been there when Uno had spent his night in the shrinechurch praying with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Uno had been so sure that he would be able to make it through, or maybe that had been a front that Mikleo had failed to see though. Mikleo wasn’t sure which one it was, but the look on Uno’s face was making him draw a horrible conclusion.

Uno had had a year and a half to prepare and hoard moments, far better than the few days that Mikleo had. Mikleo had hoped that paltry amount would be enough, but if Uno couldn’t get by on a year and a half, then it was impossible.

His fingers twitched, Mikleo ignoring the strange looks that the attendants gave him.

If it hadn’t worked for Uno, then it wouldn’t work for him, but some part of him had known that. Some part of him had been sure that it was going to all fall apart. No amount of stubbornness could fix that. The next question then became what he would do.

Ladylake was safe, Alisha had seen to that. But he was already at the boat, and he had given his word many times over. Malfore was waiting for him on the other shore. All he had to do was take the boat down.

Take the boat down and chain himself to a man he didn’t love, to a life away from his home and study until his eyes grew too weak to do anything. He would age, grow old and die following Malfore around, and he would hate every moment of it. It would be for Ladylake, for everyone he loved, but he would end up like Uno.

The thought sent a thrill of fear through him, Mikleo staring up at Uno with wide eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not, but he saw Uno shake his head slightly. Then Uno was being pulled against his husband, the man leaning down to whisper something to him. Uno didn’t seem to hear, his gaze had gone completely blank again.

That would be him, for years and years and every part of him rebelled at it.

He wanted a life that he loved. He wanted something that wouldn’t wring him dry and leave him with nothing. He wanted to be able to be himself and not just an addition to someone else.

He wanted life, and laughter.

He wanted Sorey.

Mikleo took a step back, staring at the boat. It yawned before him like the lake at night, cold and dark. It looked like a trap.

Mikleo heard some of the guards come up beside him, Mikleo not turning around until he heard his mother’s voice.

“Mikleo?”

He turned to face her, looking at the worry on her face. His gaze darted over her shoulder, looking at everyone behind her. They looked surprised that he had stopped, and worried. He didn’t get to look at them for too long. Muse reached out to cup his cheeks. Mikleo sighed and reached up to curl his fingers around his mother’s wrist.

Muse stared up at him with concern, her fingers moving over her cheek. “It’s too soon, isn’t it? You need more time to recover? Don’t feel embarrassed, we can postpone this. Don’t worry about what they say.” Muse paused, a frown crossing her face. “Malfore will wait for you.”

Mikleo sighed, leaning into his mother’s hand before shaking his head. “But I won’t wait for him.”

“Mikleo?”

He pulled away, reaching up to carefully remove the pins from the headdress. He pulled them all out before taking the headdress off. Mikleo looked at it, turning it from side to side in his hands before offering it back to his mother. “This is too precious to lose.”

“What do you mean?”

Mikleo smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’m going back.”

“Mikleo?”

He didn’t answer her, instead hugging her close. He let go a moment later, stepping back to look at where Michael and Alisha were standing. His uncle looked confused but Alisha was smiling, her fingers moving on her ring. She met his gaze before nodding and stepping back, Mikleo taking that as his permission.

He moved towards his uncle, reaching out to hug him. Mikleo heard Michael squeak, but his uncle didn’t manage to say anything else. Mikleo pulled away, looking at his uncle before nodding. There was nothing more to say, nothing more that he could think to say. He just hoped that he would get the chance to later. He just couldn’t now, not with the boat waiting and Malfore lurking. He had to move before someone tried to make him go through with it.

Mikleo shuddered and turned away, walking quickly down the street. The city was too crowded for what he needed to do, he needed space, and the only place was outside the city. But he had to be quick. Malfore had his Squires and Ladylake had the Blue Valkyries; neither of them would let a dragon land in their midst.

He took a deep breath, searching for the words. The Ancient Tongue still felt strange and awkward to speak, especially after hearing how it had really been used, but he had to use it. He didn’t know if the song would work otherwise, but he wasn’t going to risk it. He hoped he had memorized it well enough. He had only done it in snatches, when he had let the temptation linger too long. Mikleo had always snapped himself out of it before, but there was no need to now. Mikleo smiled and tipped his head back, singing at the top of his lungs as he broke out into a run.

“Biscebqbukk ralu uhiwu ok, si biscebqbukk nu wusowb  
Uduwyscebq nemm u hiwqissub  
Obswosck urilu swosck, hminebq eb scu rimj nasuwk  
Hwuuxebq eb scu ery weduw.

Miks si scu wafejk ih selu'k weduw,  
Bibijy nemm lekk cuw.  
Anaesebq scu weju-qwiil,  
Kcu naesk ciowk si a maks,  
Jwukkuj amm eb ncesu,  
Objuw scu kcwioj, anaesebq cuw ubj.  
Scu nujjebq umm kiobjk.  
Rilu Messmu Meqcsbebq. Rilu Dweqcs Scobjuw.  
Rilu Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw.  
Qwa cuw! Kuexu cuw!  
Rilu ib! Hmy!        
Hiwuduw, a yiobq dewqeb.” 

Sorey’s titles and true name burned on his tongue as he sang them, Mikleo exhaling hard after each one. Around him, he could hear people muttering and shouting at him, but he didn’t dare stop, nor did he dare leave anything to chance.

He picked up his pace, running for the bridge out of Ladylake. “Rilu Messmu Meqcsbebq. Rilu Dweqcs Scobjuw. Rilu Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw. Rilu Sorey!”

Mikleo tilted his head up to look at the clouds, searching for a flash of silver or a roar. The clouds revealed nothing, but it was quite a distance from the shrine. Then again, Sorey had said that he would always come when his true name was called.

Mikleo sucked in another breath, ready to shout for the seraph again when a group of Blue Valkyries charged out of the crowd. Mikleo glanced at them before changing his course slightly. The crowds were shocked enough to let him pass, Mikleo slipping through them as the shouting started behind him. He couldn’t hear his mother or uncle’s voices, it was just the voices of the councilors ordering him to be taken unharmed.

He didn’t bother to look over his shoulder, not when it would cost him time. Sorey was coming, and he had to reach the bridge before then.

He fixed his gaze on the gates. The crowd was still too thick for him to see the gates themselves, but they were starting to part. Mikleo gritted his teeth and kept running. They wouldn’t be able to close the gates on him, not when everyone was too focused on stopping him short. There was no point in the wedding if the city couldn’t watch him get the water of the lake poured on him.

Mikleo ducked under some of the reaching arms of the crowd, scrambling on his hands and knees before he was free. The area would the gate was clear, Mikleo sprinting through it and onto the bridge.

He took a deep breath as soon as his boots hit the bridge, listening to the steady clatter of them as he raced across it. “Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw!”

Mikleo turned his head in the direction of the Aroundight Forest, his heart beating fast. He hadn’t planned his escape aside beyond the fact that Sorey would come for him. He hadn’t thought of how to buy time. Already he could see the Squires by the dock starting to move.

Malfore was still there, standing at the end of the dock and staring at him in confusion. Mikleo jerked his gaze away, but it was too late. Malfore turned and sprinted towards the end of the bridge.

Mikleo cursed under his breath. He’d given up his pins, which meant that he was without a weapon. Malfore had the advantage of numbers and training. The only training Mikleo had done was with Alisha, and that had been more play than anything else. Maybe if he found a stick he would be able to beat Malfore back, but he wouldn’t call that victory. It would only be temporary no matter what he did. Then Malfore would drag him back to the dock and continue the ceremony.

He bared his teeth, fixing his gaze on the sky. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. He wouldn’t just go meekly forward, not when he knew that it would destroy him.

He stumbled as he reached the end of the bridge, quickly regaining his footing. Mikleo turned to look at where Malfore and the others were. He cursed when he saw that they were closer than he would have liked. He cast his gaze on the ground, shaking his head when he realized that there wasn’t a stick. Worse still, the worn trails from the bridge ran out quickly, leaving nothing but deep snow. It would slow Malfore and his Squires down, but it would also slow him. And Mikleo didn’t feel like digging through the snow to find a stick, especially dressed as he was.

He frowned and came to a stop, pivoting to look at Malfore. He watched as the Shepherd and his Squires slowed down, the Squires stopped long before Malfore. The Shepherd continued forward a few steps, his smile widening as he looked at Mikleo. “Darling…what’s going on? Are we…skipping part of the ceremony?”

“No.” Mikleo gulped deep breaths, trying to keep his voice stead. “No. There isn’t going to be a ceremony.”

Malfore stared dumbly at him before he threw his head back with a laugh. “I get it. Nerves.” Malfore shook his head, starting to inch forward again. “It’s fine, my love. There’s nothing to worry about. We’ll take it as slow as you want.”

“No, because it’s not going to happen!” Mikleo practically snarled the words at him, carefully backing away. “I _won’t_ marry you.”

“But...it was arranged. It will happen. If you don’t love me now, then it will come with time. I swear it will. I’ve seen it happen.”

“Malfore-”

“DRAGON!”

Mikleo jerked his gaze up to the sky, a smile crossing his face at the silver and blue dragon he saw bearing down on them. He raised a hand, ignoring the way that the Squires broke and scattered, leaving their Shepherd staring up at the dragon in shock.

Malfore stood his ground until Sorey dove low, then he collapsed into the snow with a scream. Mikleo laughed at that, not sure if it was because of the sight of the mighty Shepherd trying to hide from the thing that he was supposed to defend the world against, or if it was because Sorey was there.

The dragon landed in front of him, puffs of snow stirred up by his wings. Sorey didn’t seem to notice it, his whole attention was on Mikleo. Sorey’s eyes were dilated, Mikleo shivering at the intensity.

Sorey padded forward, stretching his muzzle out. Mikleo stared at it, holding himself still for the space of a breath before reaching out and resting his hand on the top of Sorey’s muzzle. The dragon’s scales were soft and warm, but the feathers that started just behind the end of his mouth looked softer.

“You came for me.” He let out his breath, feeling it shake on the way out. Mikleo had never doubted, but the seraph was there, warm and solid under his hand. “Let’s go home.”

When Sorey didn’t immediately move away, he went to step forward, pausing when Sorey reached out with a forehand. Mikleo looked at the claws before lifting his arms. He swallowed when Sorey’s claws closed around him. Mikleo lowered his arms to rest on top of Sorey’s hand, settling himself in with a good grip.

Sorey didn’t wait too long for him, Mikleo seeing the dragon gather himself back up. Mikleo glanced up at Sorey, reaching up for the dragon, but Sorey looked like he was far away.

Sorey shifted in place, rocking back onto his haunches before launching himself into the air.

The push knocked him back, Mikleo struggling to brace himself as Sorey beat up into the sky. It was easier just to let himself go, Mikleo laying himself against Sorey’s hand. All he had to do was turn his head to see the ground.

Below he could see the people spilling out of Ladylake and across the bridge. Mikleo couldn’t pick out his mother and uncle, but maybe it was better this way. He hadn’t gotten the chance to explain well enough. But he couldn’t have stayed, not when his only choice would be to step into the boat.

He tipped his head to the other side, looking down at where Malfore was standing in the snow. The Shepherd was staring at him as the Squires rushed back to him. Mikleo only watched long enough to be sure that the Squires weren’t going to try and bring Sorey down. When he was sure, he turned his gaze away, staring up at Sorey’s feathers as the dragon banked to head for home.

* * *

Mikleo grunted as he fell on the floor of the shrine. He curled into a ball, rolling so he wouldn’t land flat and hurt himself. He put out a hand as soon as he stopped. Mikleo panted for breath, slowly pushing himself up.

The shrine was just as he remembered it, the statue of Lord Zenrus looking calmly down at them from one end. Between him and the statue was the hole that he had fallen down the first time he had been taken to the shrine. Behind him, he could feel the cold wind blowing in from the hole there, although that was only a little bother. It was far milder in Sorey’s domain than outside. Besides Mikleo was sure that he was frozen from the flight over. The air high up had been cold, even high up in Sorey’s domain, and his clothes hadn’t been warm enough to keep the chill out of him.

Mikleo rubbed his arms. He hunched over his legs, glancing over at the hole in the ground. At least he wouldn’t be falling in there again. He didn’t plan on swimming or escaping. He was right where he wanted to be.

He glanced over at where Sorey was turning around. His gaze went to Sorey’s right wing. The dragon had made two long flights in close succession. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it would help the wing, but he didn’t see any catching when it moved.

Sorey kept his wings out for a moment more, flapping them a few times before tucking them back in place. Even then he didn’t seem to be paying attention to them, his gaze was fixed on Mikleo.

Mikleo swallowed and dragged his gaze up to Sorey’s head. The dragon was turning around to face him, the queer look still on his face. His eyes were still dilated, Mikleo shivering at their focus.

He supposed that it was different this time around. The first time they had only had Sorey’s titles; this time he had used Sorey’s true name and multiple times. Mikleo didn’t know how things worked with seraphim. All the books that he’d looked through had been useless. To them, seraphim were distant, mysterious beings of the elements. There was no reason to understand them because they weren’t meant to be understood. Then again, that had only been from his searches in the books in the house. The library might have had more, but the price for the time to look at them would have been too high.

He might have delayed the wedding, but that was hardly enough to get started on a lifetime of work. Then he would have had to deal with Malfore hanging over his shoulder. He wouldn’t have been able to stomach that. It would have been a nightmare before the horror really started, the long grind that would have shattered him just like it had shattered Uno.

Mikleo shivered, watching as Sorey prowled closer. The dragon’s steady focus was far better than thoughts of what his friend had become or thoughts of the future he had barely avoided.

He shifted in place, rocking forward onto his knees as Sorey came to a stop in front of him. He felt the familiar spike of fear at the sight of the dragon, but it was gone quickly. Sorey might have been a foot taller with claws and teeth, but he was still Sorey. He couldn’t look into the dragon’s green eyes and not see Sorey.

Mikleo took a deep breath, holding his hands out as the dragon got closer. He didn’t want to run away, not really. He wanted to touch Sorey more. He’d had the chance when Sorey looked like a human, but never as a dragon. Sorey had avoided being one around him, so he had only caught the sparkle of his silver feathers then. He’d wondered how they had felt, but he had squashed all of those thoughts. Now he was free to think them.

He stretched a hand forward, stopping just short of Sorey’s muzzle. There were scales there instead of feathers until the corner of Sorey’s mouth. Even then the feathers looked like soft down. The only place on his muzzle where there were feathers were on the underside. Mikleo twisted his hand to hover over the feathers on his chin, quickly changing his mind and smoothing them over the scales. They were the same colors as his feathers, mostly silver and blue. Now that he was closer, he could see the tiny speckles of gold in there as well. Mikleo rubbed a finger over one before curling his hand to properly stroke over Sorey’s muzzle.

The dragon rumbled out a sound, but Mikleo barely heard it. The scales were soft, softer than he had expected. Then again, he had expected the scales to be dry or slimy. They weren’t, they were just warm.

Mikleo pushed his hand up into the down just before Sorey’s feathers began properly. He allowed the little finger of his hand to ride the eye ridge, but he didn’t push his hand too much further. The down was fluffy and felt like it was barely there, but the feathers were a bit more substantial. Mikleo ran his finger along the edge of one before following a jagged edge of one of the blue markings. He smiled and flicked his fingers against a few of the feathers. Sorey didn’t seem to mind as Mikleo buried his fingers deep.

The tip of Sorey’s muzzle bumped against his chest, Mikleo feeling a burst of warm air as Sorey breathed out. He licked his lips, tipping his head to the side to meet Sorey’s gaze. The seraph still looked out of it, which was probably the only reason that he had allowed Mikleo this close.

Mikleo hummed and dragged his fingers back down. He sat back on his heels, gently holding Sorey’s jaw with both hands. Sorey didn’t seem to notice the change, and it was hard to read Sorey’s thoughts like this. Mikleo knew how to reach humans, not dragons. He sighed, curling his fingers into Sorey’s feathers.

He stared at the muzzle in front of him, his thumbs rubbing up against Sorey’s lower lip. It was a daring move, something that he wouldn’t have done before. In all the stories, dragons ate humans and he hadn’t been willing to chance it. But this was Sorey, and he trusted him.

Mikleo slid one of his hands forward, watching as the feathers moved under and around his fingers before he leaned forward. He wasn’t quite sure about what he was doing. He felt like he was in the same daze as Sorey, all the weight dropping from him. Mikleo tipped his head down, changing his mind halfway through the motion to press a kiss to Sorey’s muzzle.

His lips slid slightly as Sorey moved his head, Mikleo ending up kissing just above where Sorey’s upper lip started. He squeaked at the moment, but he didn’t pull away. He adjusted his hold on Sorey’s jaw, Mikleo smiling against Sorey’s scales.

He didn’t get to linger over the kiss long before Sorey jerked his head back. Mikleo blinked in surprise, staring at his empty hands before looking up at Sorey.

The dragon was backing away, shaking his head. Sorey fetched up against a pile of rubble, the dragon curling in on himself. His tail swept across the floor, curling around his feet as Sorey shrunk into himself. Sorey stared down at his claws before looking back over at him, his pupils back to normal.

From the look on his face, Mikleo was sure that Sorey was confused, but he was equally as sure that Sorey would catch up. He could see the moment when Sorey realized what had happened, because the dragon shuddered. Mikleo watched as Sorey gave a desperate look at the hole to the outside before he shook his head.

Sorey jerked forward like he meant to leave, but he held himself back, his gaze dropping to Mikleo. Mikleo watched as Sorey’s sides belled out in a sigh.

It was easy enough to follow his train of thought, especially after what they had just done. Sorey had flown him away and, barely three days later, he had come back. Mikleo was sure that Sorey was slightly frustrated, but he was also afraid that Sorey would try to take him back again.

Mikleo scrambled to his feet, holding his hand out when Sorey went to walk towards him. He was surprised when that brought Sorey up, but he didn’t have the chance to linger over it long.

Sorey drew his head back, looking down at himself before shuddering. Mikleo sucked in a quick breath when he saw the silver sparks rising from Sorey.

He stumbled forward a step, reaching out for Sorey even as the dragon tried to back pedal. “Stop, please.”

Sorey went still, Mikleo seeing his wings twitch. He took that as a good sign, because Sorey didn’t move and the silver light faded from him. Mikleo still watched him carefully, breathing heavily for a moment before he remembered himself.

He tugged at the end of his sleeve, playing with the ragged lace there. Mikleo took a deep breath and looked Sorey in the eyes. “Please don’t go, not until you hear what I have to say. So, please. Stay.”

Sorey shifted in place, Mikleo sure that he would change back into a human form. Sorey just sighed, his wings settling and the feathers that had risen in his shock along his crest flattening again. Mikleo watched him carefully before relaxing, but he didn’t let up his grip on his sleeve. He played with a loose thread in the sleeve, looking up at Sorey before shaking his head.

“If…if you were wondering, they didn’t call you. I did. I know you said to use your true name in an emergency, but it seemed like the fastest way to get your attention.” Mikleo paused, watching Sorey closely. The dragon was staring at him with wide eyes, Mikleo not sure if it was a good sign or not. It was hard to read the dragon, so he just hoped that he was doing the right thing.

He swallowed and took a step forward, letting go of his sleeve to reach out for Sorey. He watched as Sorey’s nostrils flared. Sorey took a step backwards, ending up partially on the pile of rubble.

Mikleo stopped, watching him for a moment before dropping his hand. He stared at the floor, feeling the words bubble up in his throat. He wanted to hold them back and carefully parse through them, but he didn’t have the patience for it. He needed to get it out before he managed to convince himself otherwise again.

He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting everything rush out. “I couldn’t do it. It was all I would let myself think about. It was everything because there couldn’t be anything else. But I couldn’t do it.” Mikleo paused to gather himself back together, feeling like the frayed edge of lace on his sleeve. “I spent days with him and I didn’t learn a thing about him. I learned about his family and the duties of a Shepherd, but nothing about him. And he didn’t learn anything about me. Days on the road and there was nothing. Even when we got back there was…”

Mikleo closed his eyes. It was easier than looking at Sorey’s face as the dragon tried to curl himself smaller. “We knew nothing about each other, but he acted like I was his already. He kept swearing that he was in love with me, but he knew nothing about me. All he had were pet names and…whatever imagined world he had built for himself. That’s not enough to live on, that’s not enough to live for. All I would have been left with were memories and the hope that I could do enough work to keep my away from him for the rest of my life. That’s not living. I don’t know what it is but that’s not anything worth having.”

He swayed in place, trying to sort out the mess of his next words. Mikleo opened his eyes as Sorey made a soft sound. He watched as the dragon stepped down, some of the tension disappearing from his body. But he still didn’t come any closer.

Mikleo swallowed, dropping his hands to his sides. “I was ready to do that, if I thought that I could get something out of it or if I could hold on to remembering my time here. But there was nothing I could get out of that, just years of muddling on and hoping Malfore was distracted by something or that I could live the rest of in the library. But if I did that, Ladylake would be saved for the price of my misery. It wasn’t worth it. It should be but…I don’t want my purpose to be misery. I don’t want my days to be spent in parties pretending to like everything or looking at dead things. My uncle survives all of the politics of the library by ignoring them and focusing on making history live. You brought me here and I finally found something that I’d been searching for since I had to walk away from Marlind. But maybe that’s what I’ve been doing with my life. I’ve just been letting things happen and accepting them. Marlind, the library. But not this because I’m _happy_ here. It’s…everything I wanted to do with my life. And there’s you and I…I couldn’t let you go.”

He shrugged helplessly. None of what he had said made too much sense in his head, it was a hopeless rush of feelings that he couldn’t sort out. Mikleo curled his fingers into fists, tipping his head up to look at Sorey. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m not afraid. I’ve lived for years being told to be afraid of dragons. But I know I’m not afraid of you. If anything, this will just take time and…”

He stumbled on his words, Mikleo searching for the next one. He was relieved when Sorey stopped him from continuing. The dragon inched closer, Mikleo smiling at him.

He reached out for Sorey, holding still when the dragon shied away. Mikleo stared at him before shaking his head. “Sorey, I’ve already seen you naked.”

The dragon huffed and fluffed out his feathers. Mikleo wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or something else, but it was enough for him to take a step forward.

He swallowed and stretched out his hand. “I’ve told you about me and you’ve told me about yourself, but never this. Let me see you like this. I want to know _all_ of you.”

Mikleo didn’t know what convinced Sorey. Sorey’s feathers flattened, the dragon tipping his head to the side. He stood there for a moment before crossing the distance between them, almost on his belly.

Mikleo watched as Sorey came up to him, Sorey looking up at him before pressing his muzzle against Mikleo’s palm. Mikleo sighed at the touch of soft scales under his palm. He curled his fingers in, rubbing them against the scales.

He sunk down onto his knees, smiling when Sorey’s wiggled closer. Mikleo dragged his hand up the top of Sorey’s muzzle, burying his fingers into the soft feathers just beyond it. He rubbed his fingers deep into them, chuckling at the happy rumble that Sorey gave. Mikleo leaned back on his free hand, watching as Sorey’s eyes fluttered closed.

The dragon’s head was warm and heavy in his lap, Sorey keeping up a steady rumble as Mikleo petted him. He swallowed, looking at where his fingers kept appearing and disappearing into silver and blue feathers. He thought he caught a few glimpses of gold among the feathers, but they were faint, not like they were back against his wings and shoulders. Mikleo rubbed his thumb against some gold at the base of one feather, shaking his head.

He looked down at where Sorey’s head rested against him, seeing where his lighter blue clothes stood out against the darker blue of Sorey’s markings. His wedding clothes were all light blues and whites, everything that he associated with Ladylake. The only thing missing were the gifts that had been loaded into the boat. They had probably been retaken or given to Malfore as an apology. Or maybe it was being held for him until Malfore came back. Mikleo wouldn’t be surprised if Malfore tried to march all the way to Mount Mabinogio to try and get him back. But that wouldn’t happen, Malfore’s intended was good and lost, and Mikleo had every intention to stay lost.

He laughed, trying to calm down as Sorey lifted his head to look at him. Mikleo shook his head, patting at the dragon’s muzzle. “It’s nothing, just that…according to my traditions and the old traditions we’re married.” He smoothed his fingers out over the divide between scales and feathers. “You’ve snatched me away after being summoned by the song, and I’ve been dunked in water twice in your presence; once in the lake and once through that hole.”

Sorey’s rumble changed, Mikleo sure that it sounded like laughter. He smiled and leaned over to press his forehead against Sorey’s head. Mikleo nuzzled into the scales and feathers, pressing another kiss there before sitting up.

He leaned back on both hands, looking around at the shrine. It didn’t look like Sorey had gotten this far yet. Then again, it hadn’t been too long since the last time he was there. A few days wasn’t enough time to work through the whole shrine, or at least Mikleo didn’t think so. Still, there was something reassuring about that, it meant that there was still was work to do.

He sighed, closing his eyes. Now that he was out of the worst of the weather and had Sorey curled against him he was feeling warmer, more relaxed. Mikleo tipped his head back, freezing when he felt Sorey shift. The dragon’s muzzle pressed against his stomach, Mikleo feeling warmth there was Sorey breathed out, and then Sorey was moving again.

Mikleo shifted in place, opening his eyes to watch as Sorey nudged his muzzle under the coat. Mikleo stared at him before reaching up to strip his coat off. He heard Sorey make a pleased sound before the dragon was nudging at the next layer. Mikleo heard his claws tapping, sure Sorey was just a moment away from transforming back.

He reached for the long sleeved shirt before he had thought it through. Mikleo undid the buttons, trying to keep his fingers from shaking. It was nothing that he hadn’t expected. Maybe Malfore wouldn’t have paid attention because he wasn’t schooled in the tradition or he didn’t care, but Mikleo had always expected his wedding night to begin with someone looking at the important things embroidered onto his shirt.

He dropped the shirt away, sitting still as Sorey turned his attention to the fine embroidery. Mikleo glanced down at where the dragon was studying it, shivering under the scrutiny. Sorey didn’t do more than curl closer, Mikleo feeling the dragon’s tail brush up against his back. He took a deep breath and focused his gaze on Sorey’s back, watching it move as the dragon moved.

This was something that he thought would be lost, that and the burning of his braid a year after his marriage, or before if things were right. Mikleo was sure that the braid was in tatters somewhere down the mountain and he wasn’t about to go look for it. The birds and small creatures could have it for their nests, he didn’t care. It would work to the same ends. He had made his choice, and being taken like this was final. He didn’t regret his decision.

He reached out to rest a hand on Sorey’s feathers, letting it sit there as Sorey moved around him. The dragon took his time in looking the embroidery over, Mikleo sitting as still as possible as the dragon studied him. Every once and a while he would feel a puff of warm air as Sorey breathed out.

Mikleo closed his eyes, trying to keep his voice steady as Sorey moved around him. “M-my grandparents were glaziers. My mother and uncle didn’t follow them into the business. My mother went into the church, my uncle to Marlind, where I went.”

Sorey nosed at a point on his side, the tickle of it making him gasp. Mikleo fumbled for his words again.

“I went there to…to study history. I wanted to see the world.” That got another exhale, Mikleo shuddering. “I wanted to catalogue everything and learn what happened. I was going to be like my uncle and travel…but then the war between Marlind and Ladylake started. So I went back and worked in the library.”

Sorey flicked his tail into Mikleo’s lap. Mikleo guessed that it wasn’t on purpose, because Sorey was so distracted. Mikleo reached down to play with the feathers, straightening them out to what seemed like their natural, fan-like pattern. He brushed his fingers over the flecks of silver and gold there before moving his hands up to where the feathers shone gold and silver in the right light.

Mikleo ran his hands up and down Sorey’s tail to make the feathers shine in the glow from the walls and the light coming in over his shoulder.

“I had fun in the library. I was left alone, which meant that I could read all I wanted. There were so many stories of…” Mikleo mouthed the word ‘Shepherd’ before moving on. “Seraphim, and ruins and dragons and…”

He was smoothing the feathers down when Sorey moved his tail away. Mikleo stared at his lap before turning to look over his shoulder.

Sorey’s head was there, hovering close. Mikleo breathed out and turned towards him, watching as the dragon moved around him. Sorey always stayed close, always within touching distance.

Mikleo swallowed, his fingers twitching. He wanted to touch, and now he could. Mikleo breathed deeply, reaching out to run his fingers along the base of Sorey’s jaw. He moved his fingers up to the feathers behind Sorey’s eye, just before his horns started at the back of his head. He reached up to run his fingers along one of them, turning his gaze away to meet Sorey’s.

The seraph was staring back at him, Mikleo feeling a shiver run down his spine. It wasn’t fear, he knew what that felt like. It wasn’t like this. This was more like when he had seen Sorey flying in the thunderstorm, in full command of everything that came with the storm. It was breathtaking.

He curled his fingers into Sorey’s feathers, scooting closer to him. Mikleo tipped his head up, kissing the side of Sorey’s muzzle. He turned his head to lean against it, reaching back to drag his fingers through the feathers that he could reach. He felt Sorey’s rumble vibrate through him. The sound alone shouldn’t make him feel warmer, but it did.

For the first time in a long time he felt safe and free. It was a wonderful feeling, enough to make his head spin.

Mikleo leaned back into Sorey, cushioning himself on the soft feathers. Sorey didn’t seem to mind, the dragon continuing to curl around him until Sorey could rest his head on Mikleo’s lap again. Mikleo dropped one hand to rest on Sorey’s hand, closing his eyes. It was warm in the curl of the dragon, warm and safe. He felt like he could just drift off.

He huffed when he felt Sorey shift, chuckling when he felt the tip of Sorey’s muzzle brush against his stomach. The dragon made his laughing sound again. And then his muzzle was back, pressing into Mikleo’s stomach and nuzzling him.

Mikleo laughed, pressing down on Sorey’s head as the dragon continued to nudge his way up. “Sorey…”

He expected a huff, or another laugh, not the purr that rolled through Sorey. The noise got him to open his eyes, Mikleo staring at the dragon that was halfway up his shirt. Sorey’s head was too big to fit completely under his shirt, so Sorey was just rucking it up as he went. He looked ridiculous with folds of the shirt over the top of his muzzle and his eyes looking imploring up at him. It should have been cute or endearing, but Mikleo felt his mouth go dry.

He curled his fingers more tightly into Sorey’s feathers, not sure if it was going to nudge him on or pull Sorey away. It kept him still as Sorey looked at him.

He’d slept with Sorey before. It hadn’t been his best idea at the time, but he regretted none of it. But Sorey had looked human, and he knew how to deal with humans. He’d had enough summers with Uno and a few others back in Marlind to know how to deal with humans. Those he knew, this he didn’t.

But that didn’t mean that he didn’t want to try.

Mikleo swallowed as Sorey shifted, the dragon pushing further up his chest. He was pushed back against Sorey’s side with the motion. His breath left him in a rush as he stared down at Sorey.

He knew those eyes, they weren’t any different when Sorey looked human. They weren’t the eyes of an animal or a monster, nothing like the statues in the Ladylake shrinechurch or the illustrations in the margins of books. They were Sorey’s eyes every time. They were kind and familiar, and that didn’t stop him from wanting any less.

He let his hand drift down the side of Sorey’s face, taking a deep breath when the purr got louder.

Mikleo took a deep breath when Sorey’s head lifted slightly. This time the dragon moved with more purpose, nosing his shirt up until it caught in his armpits. Mikleo went still, watching as Sorey’s mouth dropped open.

He felt the familiar thrill of fear at the sight of Sorey’s teeth, but they were soon hidden. Then Sorey’s tongue was moving up his chest.

Mikleo gasped and shuddered, clutching as Sorey’s feathers at the drag of the tongue over his chest. He bit his lip, shaking at Sorey’s tongue brushed over his nipple. He jerked, feeling Sorey pull away. The air was cold against his skin, almost enough to get him to gasp. Instead, he reached out to grab at Sorey’s face again and pull him forward. He wasn’t quite sure was he was asking, but he was glad that Sorey seemed to understand.

It barely took a moment for Sorey’s tongue to be on his skin again. Mikleo shuddered, his fingers curling tight into Sorey’s feathers as the dragon worked his way back up Mikleo’s chest with slow, steady licks.

Mikleo dropped his head back onto Sorey’s side, letting go of his lip as Sorey continued to work. He didn’t bother to hide the noises he made, letting them fall out soft and half a whisper. The sounds just seemed to encourage Sorey, the dragon shifting around him.

Mikleo felt himself falling back as Sorey moved around him. He reached back to brace himself against the floor as Sorey’s tail moved from under him. He sunk onto his back, gasping for breath as Sorey moved over him in a slow drag of feathers. Mikleo’s eyes fluttered at the touch, just on the edge of too ticklish.

He readjusted his hold on Sorey, not bothering to guide the dragon. He was more than content to lay back as Sorey’s tongue slipped over his shirt and onto his neck.

Mikleo tipped his head back, spreading his legs as Sorey settled down between them. The move got an approving purr, Mikleo arching up as the sound vibrated through him.

He groped for a better hold on Sorey, giving up when Sorey moved his head down again. His fingers curled on the stone floor, Mikleo shivering.

He expected Sorey to lick up his chest again, but the dragon just dropped his head to nuzzle at Mikleo’s crotch.

Mikleo’s breath caught in his throat, Mikleo staring up at the ceiling before he lifted himself onto one elbow. He met Sorey’s gaze, huffing out a breathy laugh when he saw the hopeful look on Sorey’s face.

Sorey whined and nuzzled him again, Mikleo shaking at the look in his eyes. The sight of the dragon peering up at him was almost enough to get him to hesitate. Almost.

He swallowed and reached down to undo his pants, kicking them and his boots off awkwardly. Sorey lifted his head away, the dragon nudging his clothes away with an annoyed huff. It was enough to get Mikleo to chuckle and reach up towards him, but Sorey was moving away before he could reach him. Mikleo huffed, about to tease and try to nudge Sorey back up, when Sorey’s head dropped.  He only had a moment to feel Sorey’s breath over his cock before the dragon licked it.

Mikleo arched up, his hand reaching blindly for Sorey as the dragon continued. He opened his mouth, trying to get something out. Nothing came but a mangled version of Sorey’s name.

It seemed to be enough for Sorey, because the dragon went back to what he was doing with vigor. Mikleo was left grasping for Sorey’s head, but the dragon was too far down. The only thing he could do was push his hand into his own hair and hang on. But it was hard to ignore the fact that what Sorey was doing with his tongue was fantastic.

He gasped for breath as Sorey’s tongue curled against his balls before dropping down lower.

Mikleo gasped as it flicked across his asshole, barely getting the time to recover before Sorey was licking into him.

Mikleo lost control of his voice then. He arched his back and screamed at the wet push. He felt Sorey exhale, the dragon starting to move away.

He shook his head, reaching down his free hand. He fell short, but it didn’t matter. His fingers twitched in the air before his hand fell down to the stone. “Sorey…please…”

To his relief, the dragon understood. Sorey scooted back between his legs, Mikleo shivering at the brush of feathers against them. His legs trembled, whimpers escaping him as Sorey just hovered close to him. Then the tongue was back, teasing lightly over his hole before Sorey started to lick him open in earnest.

Mikleo moaned and rocked down onto him, mindlessly seeking out more. Sorey’s tongue felt so good inside him, thick and wet and spreading him open with every careful lick.

Mikleo’s fingers tightened in his hair, clinging to it like a life line. He couldn’t reach Sorey’s head, couldn’t try to pull him closer and deeper where he ached and burned. Sorey was getting close, but not fast enough. Mikleo ached with the need, his legs shaking.

He curled his fingers on the stone, his fingers tapping out a restless rhythm before he reached up to drop his hand on his stomach. He stroked it over his skin in time to Sorey’s licking, gradually working his way down. Mikleo closed his fingers around his cock, gasping at the relief that the simple motion brought. He stroked his hand up, barely getting through the motion before Sorey growled.

Mikleo moaned at the vibration, going to stoke himself again when the growl got louder. He froze, lifting his head to look at Sorey. He couldn’t see Sorey’s face, but it was hard to miss the growling. He swallowed and dropped his hand away from his cock, whimpering as the growl stopped. Sorey seemed pleased enough because he went back to his licking, pushing his tongue deeper in.

Mikleo threw his head back, his fingers curling on his stomach. Sorey seemed intent on rewarding him on his good behavior, which was exquisite torture. Each push brought him closer to the edge, Mikleo sure that he could come from Sorey’s tongue alone. He breathed out slowly, the sound quickly turning into a low moan. He dug his nails into his stomach, holding the tension there before shaking his head.

“Sorey…Sorey, close…I’m-” Mikleo interrupted himself with a rush of breath as Sorey abruptly pulled away.

He clenched down around nothing, Mikleo whining at the loss. He was tempted to reach down at give himself the few quick strokes that would bring him over the edge, but he was aware that Sorey was watching.

Mikleo swallowed, uncurling his fingers from his hair so he could prop himself up on his elbows.

Sorey was swaying in place, looking indecisive. Mikleo frowned, trying to think through the annoyance that came with Sorey stopping. He looked Sorey up and down, sucking in a quick breath when he was the probable cause for Sorey’s hesitation. Sorey was hard, his cock not what Mikleo expected.

He had thought that Sorey would remain essentially the same, after all Sorey seemed to be the same whether he was human or dragon. It was a silly assumption now that he thought about it. The two versions were completely different, but they were still Sorey.

Sorey made a questioning sound, Mikleo snapping out of his daze. He jerked his gaze up to meet Sorey’s, only then realizing that he had gone quiet while staring at Sorey’s cock. He swallowed, reaching up toward Sorey.

Sorey moved to him quickly, the dragon nuzzling into his palm with a soft rumble. Mikleo felt more than heard it, and it made him shake. Sorey felt so warm against his palm, and it made him want to keep touching the seraph like this. He remembered the fleeting thought from the last time with Sorey, where he had wanted to bury his fingers in those feathers and feel them against his skin. There was no better time than now, even with all things considering.

Mikleo glanced back at Sorey’s cock, watching it twitch. It didn’t look human, but it didn’t look that bad.

He wanted to touch and explore. More than that, he wanted to continue. Mikleo bit his lip, trying to hold back a moan. Sorey’s tongue had felt amazing, and Mikleo couldn’t help but wonder what Sorey’s cock would feel like.

The thought got a moan out of him, one that he didn’t quite catch in time. Sorey heard it too from the way that he fixed Mikleo with a look. Mikleo glanced up at Sorey, shivering at the heat in Sorey’s gaze.

He wanted Sorey, there was no question of that. The problem was, he didn’t want to have to wait. It didn’t matter that it wouldn’t take that long for Sorey to turn into something more human shaped, but that was still too long. Mikleo was very much aware of the heavy ache of his cock and how empty he felt. He just _wanted_ and there wasn’t much to stop him.

He dropped his hand away from Sorey’s muzzle, glancing at him for a quick moment before turning over. He heard Sorey take a deep breath, the sound quickly turning into a noise of approval.

Mikleo smiled at it, settling himself on his elbows and knees. He threw a look over his shoulder, shuddering when Sorey leaned over to nose down his spine. “Like what you see?”

Sorey held his gaze, the dragon drawing his tongue over the knobs of Mikleo’s spine. Mikleo moaned and arched into the touch. He closed his eyes as he felt the light touch of feathers follow. He watched as Sorey moved up over him. He ducked his head a moment later, pushing his back up against the feathers as Sorey settled into place over him.

He heard Sorey rumble something out, but he was too distracted by the blunt press of the head of Sorey’s cock against his ass. Mikleo felt himself shake, but he wasn’t sure if it was in fear or anticipation. It was hard to tell when he was rocking back to rub himself against Sorey’s cock, trying to encourage him to push forward. When Sorey didn’t move, Mikleo reached back to grab a hold of him.

All thoughts of pushing Sorey into him were distracted by the first slide of his hand over Sorey’s cock. It was ridged, Mikleo’s fingers trailing up and down them. Above him, Sorey shuddered, but Mikleo only barely paid attention. The cock felt good in his hand, and he could just imagine how good it would feel inside him, rubbing up against him.

He closed his eyes, leaning his head to the side to rest it against where Sorey’s foreleg was braced beside him. He nuzzled into the feathers, mouthing Sorey’s name against them. He was sure that Sorey hadn’t heard, but the gentle coo was enough for him.

Mikleo shifted on his knees, getting himself comfortable even as he lined Sorey up. He felt Sorey’s cock slide through his hand as the dragon’s hips jerked forward. Mikleo smiled and pressed his face against Sorey’s feathers, chuckling to himself. He shook his head, twisting his head slightly so he could speak without feathers getting in his mouth. “Hold on. Let me just…”

Mikleo canted his hips backwards as he guided Sorey into him. He let go of the dragon’s cock to brace himself, gasping as Sorey started to push in.

Sorey moved slowly, Mikleo feeling the strain of it in the way that Sorey’s foreleg shook. Or maybe it was him shaking.

He breathed out slowly, adjusting to Sorey’s size. It would have been easier if he kept still, but he couldn’t. He’d never felt so full in his life and the ridges made him shake. Mikleo ducked his head, trying to keep his breathing steady, but his breaths kept coming out as ragged sobs.

Sorey must have heard him, because he stopped moving. Mikleo opened one eye, looking up at the dragon. Sorey had tipped his head to the side, Mikleo watching as he panted for breath.

He wanted to reach up for Sorey’s head, to pull it down and hold it close. But that would mean moving and disturbing everything. Mikleo shuddered, clenching around Sorey.

Sorey grunted, his hips stuttering forward. Mikleo scrambled to brace himself, gasping as Sorey slid further into him. He turned his face to press it against Sorey’s leg.

He heard Sorey yelp, the dragon starting to pull away. Mikleo shook his head, grabbing onto Sorey’s leg. “No.” He lifted his head slightly, shaking it again as he looked at Sorey. “No, I’m fine. Keep going. Slowly.”

Mikleo felt the leg move under his hand, and then Sorey was pushing in again. Mikleo had to bite his lip to keep himself under control, not caring that he tasted blood. He wanted to last longer than the first push in. He didn’t want to come when Sorey had barely started.

He let go of his lip as Sorey started pulling out. Mikleo didn’t get the chance to do more than take a deep breath before Sorey was pushing back in.

Mikleo screamed at that, his whole body shaking as the ridges and rises of Sorey’s cock rubbed against him. He rocked back onto it, Mikleo clinging to Sorey’s leg to brace himself.

He closed his eyes as Sorey settled into a rhythm, listening to the dragon’s ragged breathing. Mikleo was sure that his was much worse, but he couldn’t think beyond the sweet push and pull of Sorey’s cock inside him. Mikleo let his mouth hang open, sure all sorts of embarrassing sounds were coming out of him. But he couldn’t focus on that, all he could think of doing was pushing back, of urging Sorey deeper.

He grabbed for a better handful of feathers as Sorey shifted, his fingers slipping through them. His hand slapped against the floor, Mikleo bracing himself on it before giving up. It was easier to drop down onto his elbows. Mikleo rested his forehead against the floor, the cold of it making him gasp. But it didn’t make him stop, Mikleo wasn’t sure that nothing could make him do that.

He wanted it to keep going, each delicious thrust into him that sent sparks dancing up his spine and kept every breath cracking over a scream or a moan. It was something that he wanted to keep going, except that he could feel a tightening in his stomach and balls.

Mikleo bit his lip, curling his fingers against the stone. He wanted to reach back, but he was sure that he would lose his carefully held position. He whimpered, clenching around Sorey on the next thrust.

Sorey groaned, Mikleo looking up in time to see his talons curl and scrape across the stone. He smiled to himself, carefully shifting so he could rest his hand on Sorey’s. It was a bit of a stretch and he had to shift to accommodate it.

It also opened him up more, Mikleo moaning Sorey’s name as the dragon slid in deeper. He grabbed at Sorey’s talon, holding it tightly as he worked to get the words out. “Just like that, Sorey. Just like tha-aaah.”

The words trailed out into a scream at a hard thrust. He curled his fingers around Sorey’s finger as each thrust got harder, deeper, the coil in his gut getting tighter with each time. Mikleo found himself chanting Sorey’s name with every thrust, each one trailing off into nonsense until it was too much.

Mikleo gasped out something that could have been a word as he shuddered and came. He clung to Sorey’s finger as he shivered and shuddered through his orgasm.

Above him, Sorey made a sharp, cut off noise, and then he was thrusting deeper. Mikleo choked on his next breath as Sorey spilled into him, his own voiced pitching up into moan. His fingers twitched against Sorey’s before they slid free, Mikleo staring at where they splayed on the floor.

He turned his head so it was pressed against the stone floor. It was nice and cool, and so good.

Mikleo closed his eyes, panting for breath. He was perfectly content to lie on the floor and catch his breath, especially when he could hear Sorey doing the same above him. It made him feel proud.

He smothered a groan into the stones as Sorey shifted and pulled out. Mikleo’s eyes fluttered shut as he felt Sorey’s come leak out of him. He sighed and let himself stretch out on the floor, feeling the cool stone along his front. Mikleo rubbed his cheek lazily against it, only opened his eyes when he heard a groan.

He watched as Sorey lowered himself to the ground, the seraph curling around him. Mikleo lifted his head just enough to watch as Sorey’s tail flicked around him, Mikleo watching it settle on the floor. He hummed, turning his head at the gentle shush of feathers on the floor.

Sorey settled down, the dragon resting his head on the floor before sliding it closer to him. Mikleo rolled onto his side, reaching out to run his knuckles over Sorey’s muzzle and down into his feathers. He repeated the motion a few times before reaching out to pull Sorey’s muzzle closer.

He wrapped his arms around it, nuzzling into the scales before pressing a kiss there. Sorey purred in response, the dragon curling closer around him. Mikleo felt feathers tickle against his back, Mikleo smiling as he heard Sorey’s breathing even out.

Mikleo kissed Sorey again before resting his forehead against Sorey’s muzzle matching his breathing to Sorey’s.

* * *

Mikleo stumbled out into the hallway, taking a moment to stretch his arms above his head. He felt something in his back pop, Mikleo sighing in relief. It helped somewhat with his back, but it wasn’t enough to chase the ache away. Then again, he didn’t want to go away quite yet.

He reached around to rub at his lower back, hissing as he worked his fingers into the muscles there. He could feel a few knots coming out, but not all of them. Mikleo was tempted to ask Sorey to help him work them out, but he was sure how it would go. Just like the other times that they had tried to do something else.

Mikleo smiled to himself before tugging the coat more firmly around him. It wasn’t the same one that he had used the last time he had been there, but he hadn’t looked long for it. It had been in Sorey’s room, and it had been readily available.

The shrine was chilly, which probably meant that it was night outside. That or he had gotten a bit of a chill from the stone floors. They should have moved somewhere more comfortable after the first time, but they hadn’t managed it for a long while. He’d barely been able to escape to Sorey’s bed after his stomach had started grumbling.

He turned to look back at the bed, watching as Sorey’s side rose and fell. Sorey was in his human-like form again, something he was grateful for. Three times was a bit much for him, at least when Sorey was a dragon. Anything more he would have to work up to it. But that was something to improve on.

He leaned back against the doorframe, tracing his fingers around his lips. He wanted nothing more than to just tuck himself under Sorey’s wing. It was warm and comfortable there, and he couldn’t wait to slide back in, but he couldn’t ignore his stomach.

Mikleo licked his lips before nodding to himself. He would get enough food to last him a while, because he didn’t feel like moving too far away from Sorey for a long time.

He pushed away from the door frame, turning his attention to the hallway. Sorey had given him a muttered set of directions to where the larder was. It wasn’t that hard, it was just in the next hallway on the floor above. Mikleo had wandered his way to that hallway a few times when he had last been in the shrine, but he hadn’t bothered to really explore. He didn’t think he would this time, he had all the reason to get back as fast as he could.

Mikleo gave Sorey one last look before turning, intending to head down the hall. He stopped short when he saw Atakk standing there, the Normin carrying a bundle of familiar blue fabric in his arms.

Atakk looked him up and down, Mikleo reaching up to tug the coat closed. He wasn’t sure if he saw a smile on the Normin’s face, because it was gone quickly. Atakk lifted up the clothes in something that could be a salute before tucking them under his arm. He reached up to push his helmet back, giving Mikleo a nod. “So, you’ve ended up back here.”

“It was my choice.” Mikleo tried his best not to sound too defensive, because Atakk had been right. He had left with all the promises in the world that he wouldn’t be coming back. He cleared his throat, giving the Normin a nod. “It wasn’t…it wasn’t a good fit for me. And I…I can’t remember a time that I’ve been happier.”

Atakk looked him up and down, Mikleo not sure what to make of it. He wasn’t held in limbo for long, Atakk sighing.

The Normin turned and tossed his wedding clothes onto one side of the hallway. Mikleo watched them go, the corner of his mouth twisting up. He didn’t want to be stuck wearing nothing but those, but he was sure that finding other clothes would mean searching through the rooms for a wardrobe, and then figuring out where to put them. That would mean leaving Sorey’s side, and he wasn’t quite ready for that. He wanted to bask in Sorey’s presence for just a while longer.

He sighed and turned to look back at Atakk, jumping when he realized that the Normin was so close. He went to take a step back, pausing when Atakk rested a paw on his leg.

The Normin’s paw sat there for a moment before Atakk patted his leg. “I’m happy for you. For the both of you. I think it’s a good fit and another pair of hands to help around here.”

Mikleo sputtered as Atakk laughed, the Normin patting his leg again. “We’re going to have to do a lot of shifting around here. Dweqcs Scobjuw and you will need a bigger room. And the two of you will start collecting people soon.”

Mikleo frowned at that. He didn’t think that they would go that far, nor could he imagine how they would do it. Most of the people in the area were already safely ensconced with seraphim and Mikleo was sure that the people of Ladylake knew what Sorey looked like by now. None of them would allow themselves to be taken away by a dragon, not after him. Mikleo was sure that the legends were already starting. The twice-stolen bride of Ladylake. And there wouldn’t be a happy ending. He was sure that they all thought that he had been eaten.

In that they were partially right.

He swallowed, clutching at his coat before shaking his head. “Let’s not go that far…but maybe a room for my family, if they visit.”

Atakk beamed at him, giving him a jaunty salute. “Can do. We’ll have to clear some of these rooms first.”

“I’ll do what I can to help.”

“No rush though.” Atakk leaned around him to glance back towards Sorey’s room. “We can give you a little bit of a honeymoon.”

Mikleo sighed, not bothering to correct the Normin. By all the traditions he knew, he was married. He probably had been the first time he slept with Sorey. Still, it didn’t quite feel like it. Mikleo was sure that it would go away soon enough. It wasn’t about the gifts, songs or being dunked in the water. It was about agreements, and he and Sorey had come to one.

He turned, looking back at the sleeping form of the seraph in the bed. Somehow, between Mikleo finding his coat and meeting Atakk, Sorey had snuggled up to a pillow. He looked so lonely, and it made him want to crawl back in bed with him, but his stomach reminded him why he had left in the first place.

He shook his head, about to step away when Atakk skittered in front of him again. The Normin blinked up at him before knocking the visor of his helmet back. “Where are you going?”

“To get food.” He went to take a step, groaning when Atakk stepped in front of him again. He sighed and made a vague motion to the end of the hall. “Sorey told me where to go.”

“No, no. Let me handle this.” Atakk crossed his arms over his chest. “The two of you need a real wedding feast.”

“Atakk…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t make you wait long. There’s plenty I can do from what we have. It’s been too long since we’ve had anything to celebrate.”

Mikleo looked down at the Normin, considering him for a moment before sighing. There was no reason to argue with him. Atakk was probably telling the truth. Mikleo couldn’t imagine much for Atakk and Sorey to celebrate in the shrine, not when there was hardly anyone else around. He wouldn’t deny them that.

He gave in with a nod, feeling better about his decision when Atakk smiled wide. The Normin practically bounced in place, the visor of his helmet looking like it was about to fall down.

“I won’t let the two of you down. And I won’t take forever, promise.” Atakk made a shooing motion. “Just get on back to Dweqcs Scobjuw, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Atakk was gone before Mikleo could say anything. He shook his head, unable to keep himself from smiling. The Normin’s excitement was catching, even though it meant having to wake up Sorey. Then again, Sorey might just wake up for food. It might be the one other thing that Sorey was interested in.

Mikleo absently reached back to rub at his back, humming when he found that spots that ached. It would be a welcome break, although it wouldn’t really be enough time to recover. There were still a few things he wanted to try.

Mikleo smirked to himself, giving the hallway one last look before turning on his heel. He padded back into the room.

He stripped the coat off, draping it over a chair so he would be able to find it later. Mikleo didn’t think that he would be looking for too much else to cover him. The coat kept him plenty warm and Mikleo doubted that Sorey would let him stray too far.

Mikleo felt arms wrap around him. He tensed and went still, not relaxing until he felt Sorey kiss the back of his neck.

Mikleo turned his head to meet Sorey’s gaze. “I thought you were sleeping.”

“I was, and then you were gone.” Sorey hugged him tighter, Mikleo reaching down to rest his hands over Sorey’s.

It wasn’t quite the joking statement that Sorey was trying to make it sound like, there was real fear there, and he was sorry for it.

Mikleo leaned further back into Sorey, kissing his cheek. “Not far and not for long. Atakk is taking care of food.”

Sorey’s wings fluffed out a bit at that, Sorey leaning out around him. Mikleo shifted in Sorey’s arms, catching the fixed attention Sorey gave to his wedding clothes, especially the embroidered shirt that was on top of the pile.

Then Sorey was sliding away, the seraph walking over to the bookshelf. Sorey took a small box from a shelf, holding it in his hands before holding it out to Mikleo. “I ran across this while cleaning out some of the other rooms.”

Mikleo took the box and opened it, his breath catching as the familiar, stylized design. There was the ‘V’ of the dragon’s wings and the crescent moon shape of the human encircled by a ring. Mikleo rubbed his fingers against the design before holding the necklace out. “Help me.”

Sorey stepped forward eagerly, plucking the necklace from his fingers. Mikleo shivered at the cold metal rested against his collarbones, the necklace settling into place a moment later. Sorey didn’t come back around though, his fingers lingering on the back of Mikleo’s neck and shoulders.

“There.”

Mikleo ran his fingers over the design, his fingers trailing up until they could catch Sorey’s hand. “Bed?”

He got a rumbling purr as an answer. Mikleo smiled to himself, twining his fingers with Sorey’s.

He wasn’t sure who pulled who back into bed, all he knew was that they fell in a tangle of limbs and laughter. Mikleo rolled to his side, hearing Sorey shuffle into a comfortable position behind him. He felt more than heard Sorey hum against his neck, the seraph’s wing twitching before falling back over him.

Mikleo shivered as the feathers brushed against his skin, but he didn’t push the wing away. It was warm under it and tucked up against Sorey. It made him feel protected and cozy; more than enough to make him start to drift off. Atakk had said that he would be working on the feat and that it wouldn’t take long, but Mikleo was sure that there was time for a nap.

He reached up for a pillow, tucking it under his head as he felt something brush against his leg. Mikleo didn’t bother to look down, instead settling back into Sorey as the seraph’s tail curled around his ankle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ancient Tongue Translations:   
> Dweqcs Scobjuw -Bright Thunder (Sorey's Title)  
> Meqcsbebq-Dweqcs Fasclauw -Lightning-Bright Pathmaker (Sorey's True Name)
> 
> "Nothingness came before us, to nothingness we return   
> Everything will be forgotten   
> Untruths become truths, flowing in the cold waters   
> Freezing in the icy river 
> 
> Lost to the rapids of time's river,   
> Nobody will miss her.   
> Awaiting the bride-groom,   
> She waits hours to a last,   
> Dressed all in white,   
> Under the shroud, awaiting her end.   
> The wedding bell sounds.  
> Come little lightning. Come bright thunder.  
> Come Lightning-Bright Pathmaker.  
> Grab her! Seize her!   
> Come on! Fly!   
> Forever, a young virgin."


	7. Epilogue

“I do not care what comes after; I have seen the dragons on the wind of morning.”   
\- _The Farthest Shore_ , Ursula K. Le Guin

* * *

 

Malfore strode through the forest, his hand resting lightly on his sword. He kept glancing around, paying attention to every sound as he went.

The people of Sitole had said that a dragon had been stirring, and Malfore was not about to get surprised by another one.

He curled his fingers more tightly around the pommel of his sword, gritting his teeth. He could still see the sparkle of the winter sun off of the silver feathers of the dragon that had swept in and taken his Mikleo away, the same one as the first time. Once again, he’d been able to do nothing, not even save him.

He had gathered his Squires and chased after the dragon immediately. He certainly didn’t need Princess Alisha’s permission. He hadn’t the first time, but he had just asked out of politeness. Mikleo was his fiancé, the man he loved, and that was something beyond the bounds of government.

So he had ridden over the track that they had just left and chased the dragon to the base of the Aroundight Forest. Malfore had been sure that it would be easy enough. After all, Mikleo had escaped from the dragon once. He might not have been able to do it again, but Malfore still had hope. Mikleo might have left a trail like last time.

But there had been nothing. Nothing up to the forest itself and nothing up to the ruin that they had diverted to after a day of fruitless searching along the edge of the forest. Sarah had found some blue feathers among the old stones, but they had meant nothing. A bird could have rested there, or they were the remains of the people who had lived in Kylfe, or it was what the dragon had left behind the first time. It wasn’t Mikleo, so it didn’t matter.

The only thing to do was to push on into the forest itself. All of his Squires had counselled against it, but Malfore had been sure, he was still sure. Michael had said that the curse on the forest would allow only those who had someone they loved on the other side through. He might had been vague about how exactly he would be guided through the thick tangle of trees, but Malfore had been willing to try. Every moment he had hesitated was another moment that Mikleo could be suffering, or being eaten. It was why he had shouted and screamed at his Squires until Oliver had slipped away into the forest. The others had seemed to think that it was a good compromise, but it had led to weeks of camping outside the forest, waiting for Oliver to stumble back. Weeks of thwarted attempts to sneak into the forest himself to chase after the man he loved.

The weeks of torture had finally ended when Éloïse had stormed into the forest, muttering about lazy cousins. She had promised to bring Mikleo back to him, but she had stumbled out three days later; shaken, starving and crying.

She had found Oliver and impossible few feet from their camp, dead. When she had tried to run and find the others, she had gotten lost. Éloïse had sworn she stumbled across five other bodies on her way out. She had called the whole area cursed and walked away. A few of his other Squires had left with her, which didn’t matter. There had been enough left to tie a rope around him and let him walk into the forest for the length of it.

In the forest Malfore hadn’t found any bodies or any other signs of it being cursed. There were just old trees and a game trail that seemed to loop endlessly around himself. He had been pulled back before he could follow it too far.

He had tried to argue that they should try again, but none of the Squires would listen to him. They had started packing up camp, all with the same excuse. Mikleo was dead, eaten by the dragon.

It was a fate that couldn’t be borne, and yet it had to be. Mikleo had been taken for weeks, there was no way that he was still alive.

Malfore took a deep breath, ignoring the shake in it. It had been half a year now. The curse over the forest was too strong, he would just become another body inside of it. The enforced helplessness of it made him want to rage.

His dearest Mikleo, his one and only, had been stolen away and killed by a dragon. He’d been a Shepherd, chosen and anointed by the church. His purpose was to protect the people of the world from the dragons and the daemonblight that came with them and he had failed at that.

Malfore drew his sword partially out of its sheath before he could think. He paused halfway through the motion, panting for breath.

He glanced around the forest, looking for anyone who could have witnessed his bout of rage. He sighed in relief, sliding his sword back into place. It wasn’t that he couldn’t be angry, a Shepherd didn’t have to be the paragon of faith that priests or cardinals did. Rage was an emotion, just like all the others. The problem came when rage was all that there was. If that happened, then he would be dead and there would be one fewer Shepherd. Some people might have said that the Shepherds were more decorative than anything, but Malfore knew they were wrong. He had seen one dragon flying in the sky, stealing people and threatening the lives of Ladylake. He had heard the rumors of dragons starting to stir again. The Shepherds were needed now more than ever.

Malfore took a few deep breaths before focusing on the path ahead of him. He’d let his mind wander too much already, and what he was doing was dangerous.

He turned in place, checking the position of the sun. It was still early in the morning, far too early for any of his Squires to be up. He had a good few hours before any of them noticed that he was gone. Then it would take a few hours more for them to get organized and to figure out where he had gone. All of them had spent the night setting up their own camp while he had been talking in the inn with everyone in Sitole.

As far as he could tell, his Squires were sure that they had seen the last dragon, and it was long out of their reach. Malfore had his own thoughts on that. The Aroundight Forest was only on the Ladylake side of the mountains. There would be other ways to get around, maybe on the Rolance side. It would be difficult to get through the mountains, especially while looking through all of them for a dragon, but he would do it. He owed Mikleo more than abandoning him to a dragon, even if it was only his bones that he would be bringing back.

But that venture would take time and more resources than he had currently. A handful of Squires half convinced of the venture wouldn’t be enough. He would need to pull influence from his family. That he was sure to get. Until then, he wanted to get as much practice in as he could.

If dragons were rising again, then Shepherds would be needed. Every Shepherd had to start somewhere, and the dragon in Sitole seemed to be a good start. He had heard rumors of a few more places that needed help with a dragon, and he intended to look into them.

No one else would have to suffer like he had, with the ache of knowing that their one and only was lost to them forever.

He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, considering it for a moment before shrugging. Hopefully he would get his business over with before the Squires woke up and came rushing after him. He didn’t need them interfering and trying to drag him away.

He was a Shepherd, it was his duty to kill dragons, and there was one waiting for him.

The people in the inn had been talking as they had settled in for the night, about how they had seen something flying over the village a few times or roosting in the tall trees. There had been one boy who swore that he had seen the dragon stooping down on deer in the deep forest, a dragon of white, brown and green. There had been other stories of a dragon in red, white and gold, but those had been few and far between. Malfore would concern himself with the first one and then focus on the second. It only made sense when his primary concern was finding where the dragon roosted.

He had been told that they hid deep underground in caves and caverns. There weren’t any of those here in the forest, but the innkeeper had said something about a complex of old ruins from the ancient civilization. Malfore supposed that it would work as a place to nest. It also meant that it would be difficult to clear.

Malfore drummed his fingers against the hilt of his sword before letting go of it. Maybe it would have been better to bring a Squire or two, but maybe not worth the annoyance. A complex of tunnels meant plenty of small places he could go, plenty of places to sneak up on the dragon and kill it. Then the people of Sitole wouldn’t have to worry about the dragons. As it was, Malfore had heard them talking about leaving out food and baubles for the dragon. It was the old way of keeping the dragons away, and it was only a matter of time before they started offering humans as well. Malfore would die before he saw another taken like Mikleo had been.

He rolled his shoulders, walking forward again. The path was clear enough, just like the innkeeper had said. He just had to follow the path until he reached the large clearing with the pillars surrounding it. An entrance to the ruins would be there, the safest entrance as the innkeeper had assured him. Malfore would have settled for the entrance closer to the dragon, but he supposed that the more important thing was getting down to it. He would take stairs over scrambling down a hole in the ground or having to climb up to a half ruined window. It would mean he was fresh for when he faced the dragon.

Michael had been able to turn up some records of Shepherds facing dragons, but it was not very calming. From what Michael had told him, most Shepherds found a sleeping or distracted dragon and killed them. If the dragons wasn’t, they waited. The battles weren’t long and drawn out like he expected. He was old enough to know the difference between songs and reality, but there was something strange when even the songs, older records and the records from Ladylake didn’t match. Malfore didn’t doubt the records in Ladylake versus the ones in Pendrago, he was just confused.

All of the stories about dragons gave them almost seraphic qualities. There was the great dragon in Gododdin who was known to spew fire, and the dragons on Rayfalke Spiritcrest that could make the earth shake. Everything else that Michael had found said nothing about the powers of the dragon who had taken Mikleo, nor about any of the others that had been killed around the area. It was strange, and it worried him.

There was every chance that no one had survived to see what abilities the dragon had, which meant that he had to be cautious.

Malfore took a deep breath, tipping his head to the side when he heard something like singing. He paused for a moment, trying to place the song, but he couldn’t quite make out the words. Whoever was singing was just ahead, just about where the innkeeper had said the clearing was, which meant that there was someone close to the dragon, someone in danger.

He set his jaw, striding forward. The trees opened up quickly, their trunks interspersed with old columns, all of them with dragons. He frowned at the sight. The ancient people may have worshipped the dragons and the seraphim, but he couldn’t imagine why. Malfore shook his head and walked into the clearing, looking around.

It was large, the columns never giving way for the trees, like they were the ones keeping the trees back. Interspersed through the clearing where piles of rubble, Malfore assuming that they were remains of statues or other entrances. He could see another entrance, just as ornately decorated. Or he supposed it had been. It looked like the people of Sitole had been picking pieces off of it and stealing masonry for years. Malfore didn’t fault them for it, not when the ruin was going to waste. Besides, it wasn’t like the dragon needed it.

He gave the entrance one last look before turning to look for the person who was singing. It took a moment for him to find her, Malfore having to weave in and out of the piles of rubble before he found what he was looking for.

A woman was crouched in front of something that looked like a garden, which was baffling in itself. He couldn’t imagine why anyone would set up a garden so close to the dragon’s known lair, unless it was the only thing left to her. Then she was taking advantage of the times that the dragon was asleep or not around. That was valuable information to have, and he needed it desperately.

Malfore approached her, carefully coming around from the side so she had a chance to see him. As he did, he took the chance to study her. It was hard to tell much because she was covered with a red cloak, its hood pulled up. The only glimpses he got were of pale arms and the dress that she wore.

The cloak may have been plain, but the dress was anything but. It was a complex thing in white and red, Malfore getting glimpses of lace and black fabric through it as she stretched an arm out to grasp the top of another plant.

In two sharp tugs it was out, the woman reaching forward to wipe dirt from the carrot before it was laid in the basket beside her. As she moved, hair fell from under her hood, white trailing off into red. The woman let it hang for a moment before she went to brush it back with dirt covered fingers.

The motion dragged two lines of dirt across her face, but it also pushed back her hood a bit. Malfore got the glimpse of one green eye before it widened and then the woman was jerking away.

She turned to face him, Malfore seeing her hand jerk towards the basket, her fingers flexing over it before she rested it on the handle. Her surprise was obvious, but her wariness didn’t go away.

She studied him for a moment, her fingers curling around the handle of her basket. “Good morning. May I…help you?”

Malfore bowed slightly, not daring to look away. Her basket didn’t look like it contained anything but vegetables, but he didn’t dare underestimate her. People living out in the forest were often more than they appeared, they had to be to survive. She had to be to survive so close to a dragon.

He straightened up, giving her a nod. “I was searching for the ruin.”

“You found it.”

Malfore managed a laugh, nodding back towards the ruin. “Yes. The villagers in Sitole were very clear.”

She tipped her head to the side, looking him up and down before dropping her hands into her lap. “I see. Were you looking for the ruin specifically, or did they ask you to find me?”

Malfore was taken aback by her question. He stumbled over his words for a moment before catching himself. “Why would they ask for you?”

She gave him a smile before grabbing her basket and standing up. She tucked the basket into the crook of her elbow before brushing off her skirt. She continued to straighten herself, out, seemingly prepared to keep him waiting.

Malfore bit his lip to keep himself silent, but he couldn’t keep himself from glancing back towards the entrance to the ruin. If the woman was there, the dragon was most likely to not be in the area. The problem came when she stalled too long.

He cleared his throat. “My lady-”

“None of that.” She lifted her chin, a smile gentling the words. “I’m no lady. I’m just someone who knows enough about herbs and a little bit of what they call magic to keep them healthy. Everyone is worried about their health, especially since Marlind fell to the plague.” She straightened her skirts one last time before clearing her throat. “So, did they send you?”

“Not for that.” Malfore straightened his back, trying to look impressive. “My name is Malfore Forton, from Pendrago.”

The woman laughed, her voice clear and bright. “And I am Lailah. What brings you here? I heard the princess of Ladylake is getting married soon.”

Malfore shook his head. “No. I’m not here for that. I’m on my way back home after my own wedding…my own…did not go well.”

He was surprised by the look of sympathy on her face. She reached out for him, stopping herself short. Her gaze dropped to the ground. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Malfore gave her a short nod, finally managing to get words out. “Thank you.” He gave the entrance to the ruin one more glance before nodding at it. “I’m afraid that I don’t have time for many pleasantries. I have something to do, for the people of Sitole. They’ve been reporting dragon sightings.”

“Oh my.”

He nodded, turning away from her. “They might just be nothing, but I can’t take that chance. I’ve seen a dragon, it came down to Ladylake twice and it took someone dear. I can’t allow anyone else to suffer for that. It’s my duty as a Shepherd.”

“Shepherd?”

She sounded breathless, Malfore frowning at that. He turned around to look at her, his attention briefly caught by the way her cape moved strangely. There was no breeze to pick it up, nothing to make it move. It made the hairs on the back of his neck rise, but that was easy enough to ignore. There was a dragon lurking in the ruins behind him, and a woman he needed to move away. The dragon wouldn’t wait much longer.

He held out his arm for her. “Come on. I’ll see you safely on the way to Sitole and then I’ll take care of the dragon.”

“You’ll kill Zavied?”

Malfore took a step in the direction of the ruin, nodding absently. “I’ll make sure he never bothers you and the villagers again.” He took a deep breath, what she said catching up to him.

He froze, his eyes going wide. “Zavied? Is that its name? How do you-”

He turned to face her, the words dying in his throat as he saw her red cape fluttering away. He followed its course for a moment before jerking his gaze back to where Lailah had stood, but she wasn’t there. Instead, there were drifting silver flames and a red, white and gold dragon spreading its feathered wings wide.

Malfore yelped and scrambled for his sword. His fingers pawed over the pommel before he finally managed to tug it free, only to drop it when the tip got caught in the top of the scabbard. It tumbled out of his grip, landing on the ground with a clatter. Malfore knew that he should try to pick it up, but he didn’t dare move, not when the dragon was looking at him.

It hissed, its feathers fluffing outward. The dragon stared at him, snaking its head from side to side before it opened its mouth and roared.

Malfore saw the haze of fire in the back of its throat, and that was enough.

He turned on his heel and ran, hearing the loud, undulating roar of the dragon behind him.

* * *

Alisha turned to hand the package of silks and jewels to her handmaid. She gave the girl a thankful smile, getting one in return. Alisha shifted slightly, hiding the woman from the gaze of the audience. “How are you holding up?”

“As long as we don’t get anything like those statues from Lastonbell, we’ll be fine.” The woman gave her a quick nod and the start of a laugh. “These are easy in comparison, especially when the end is in sight.”

“Still, pass along a signal when you need a break.”

“As long as you do.” The girl dropped into the curtsey before walking away to the room where all the presents were being laid out.

Alisha watched her go before turning back to where Rose was accepting the next gift. Her wife looked over at her, making a face before turning back around to thank the person presenting it. The person bowed and started to walk away, Rose turning to pass the gift onto the handmaiden ready to receive it. Alisha came back around to her chair, shaking her head as Rose kicked away the skirts of her dress to walk over.

She reached out as soon as Rose sat down, patting her arm. “Careful.”

“I’m _trying_.” Rose gave her a long look before settling down. She reached down to pick at her skirt, settling it back into place. “I can move fine in this, but turning, it gets all stuck in itself. I always forget to kick out.”

She sighed and tipped her head back, entwining her fingers with Alisha’s. Alisha squeezed Rose’s fingers, turning her attention back to the crowd. “We’re almost done.”

“Thank the Great Lords.” Rose stretched her legs out before settling them primly against the chair. “I’ve been getting whiffs of the food they’ve been cooking ever since I sat down here.”

“Why do you think I had you sit over there?”

Rose gasped and leaned into her. “That’s not a very princess-like thing to do.”

“It’s not very princess-like to have a gurgling stomach.” Alisha grinned over at Rose, meeting her wife’s gaze for a moment longer before turning her attention away. Rose wasn’t the only one getting whiffs of what was cooking in the kitchens. She didn’t have the same proximity as Rose did, but it was torturous enough.

She hadn’t been able to eat more than a few bites of her breakfast between the excitement and the nerves. Her handmaid had been practically chasing her around the room until the word came that it was time for her to get dressed. Then it had all been nerves.

What if she tripped?

What if the boat capsized?

What if a dragon came to snatch her up?

Alisha closed her eyes at the thought. There was no guarantee that the dragon wouldn’t come back, even though it had been months since it had snatched up Mikleo. Some people had said that it was a punishment from the Great Lords, although just for what the church hadn’t managed to figure out. Then again, there were some whispers that it wasn’t a punishment at all, but a warning. After all, there was the plague in Marlind, a plague that some whispered had been brought in through Pendrago. She wasn’t sure either way, but it had been enough to have Blue Valkyries standing on the walls armed with bows in case the dragon had come for her as well.

But they needn’t have worried, the skies were clear and it was warm for a day in early spring. The last of the snow and ice had cleared the week before, leaving everything as perfect as it could get. She had drifted out to Rose on a clear blue lake under a clear blue sky, and it looked to continue that way for the rest of the presentation and the feast out in the square.

She turned to look at Rose, leaning in to press a kiss against Rose’s cheek. Rose made a surprised sound, turning to look at her. Rose grinned and squeezed her hand, Alisha sure that it was a prelude to something else when she heard one of the Blue Valkyries clear their throat.

Alisha looked over at Maltran, watching her old mentor roll her eyes. It was a bit of foolishness that Maltran was sure to forgive her for. Foolishness was allowed on her wedding day.

Maltran’s expression smoothed out into a smile, the woman gesturing towards the next person in line. Alisha saw her mentor frown, Maltran’s hand tightening on her spear. Alisha turned to look at the person approaching them and understood why.

The next petitioner was a man in a long cloak, pulled forward so it blocked his face.

Alisha wasn’t sure if she or Rose was the one who tightened their hold on their hands, but she knew that she was the one who let go first. It was her duty to greet this new person and receive their present. Besides, she was sure that the Blue Valkyries wouldn’t let anyone dangerous in. She was just as sure that Maltran or Rose would move before the person could reach her, although it was a toss up to what Rose would do. She would either reach for her own knives or nudge Alisha’s spear towards her, it was just a matter of which she did first.

Alisha stepped forward, folding her hands in front of her at the person knelt at the base of the dais. They hadn’t brought anything with them, which was strange. The two of them had been receiving people with boxes of all sizes, carefully swaddled gifts, and low carts filled with wedding presents. No one had turned up empty handed.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose, Alisha shifting in place. Everyone had left their weapons by the gates of Ladylake and been searched.

She heard Rose shift in her chair, listening for the sound of a dagger being drawn. It didn’t come, but that didn’t mean that Rose wasn’t ready. Alisha glanced over at Maltran, watching as her mentor gave a slow nod before turning her attention back to the person kneeling.

Alisha put on her best smile, looking down at them. “Welcome. We thank you for attending and hope you’ve had pleasant trip.”

“It’s been better than my last ones.”

Alisha tensed at the voice, something in it familiar. She cleared her throat, stumbling through the usual greeting, the one that she had done what felt like one hundred times over. “I…we thank you for this gift kindly given, but…have you passed it on to someone else?”

The hood lifted somewhat, the person chuckling. “No. It wasn’t something that I could bring with me. It’s not something that can be carried. But it should be arriving soon. Until then, Princess Alisha and…Rose, I grant you the best gift I could think of after everything that I…” The person stumbled to a stop, Alisha watching as the hood moved to the side. “I give to you a summer that does not burn and a winter that does not freeze the lake to its depths. I give you the prosperity, the one I was supposed to bring to you.”

Alisha stared at the person, trying to parse through what they were saying. It all made sense in a strange, circular way, but not together. Alisha shook her head, about to ask what they meant when she heard a gasp from behind her.

She turned, watching as one of her handmaidens raced to the window, pressing her hands against it. Alisha turned to look at her, watching as the girl bounced in place. The girl turned to motion to her. “Princess! Princess, come and see.”

Alisha heard Rose stand from her chair. A hand bumped against hers, Alisha grabbing it on instinct. She held on tightly to Rose’s hand as they walked to the windows. Behind her, Alisha could hear a clamor starting, but it seemed to be heading for the outside. She turned to look as the rest of the guests set their presents aside and ran for the door to the castle. The Blue Valkyries had remained behind, but they were all throwing each other worried looks and inching closer to the room that they were in. Only the person in the room that remained still was the hooded one, and they were still kneeling on the floor.

She moved over to the window, reaching out to grab the side of it as she stared out into the garden.

When she had last looked out into the garden, the plants had still been yellow and dormant. Alisha expected them to be that way until spring was almost over. It was always that way. Winter had a long and cold hold, and summer had a hot one. The flowers and plants would bloom bright and wonderful for a week or two, if they were lucky, and then they would brown under the heat of the summer sun and stay that way until the spring came again. It was how things had always been.

Except that the gardens weren’t like that anymore, they were green and in full flower.

Alisha pulled her hand away from Rose to press it against the window, staring at the garden. She couldn’t imagine how it could have happened, especially in the space of moments. It was magical, like what she had read about in the stories about seraphim. A seraph was the only thing she could think of that would be able to do this kind of thing.

She curled her fingers against the window before turning around. She felt Rose make a grab for her, but she slipped away. She didn’t think that this was a danger or a curse. A curse couldn’t make something so wonderful, she felt it in her gut.

Alisha strode across the room to where the person was kneeling on the floor. She stared down at them for a moment, her hands clenching in the skirts of her wedding dress. “How?”

The person shrugged, lifting their head slightly. “A miracle of the seraphim.”

Alisha glanced back towards the windows, staring at the burst of color in the gardens. People were wandering through it now, touching the petals like they expected the flowers to disappear. Her own fingers twitched, Alisha almost tempted to grab Rose and run out to the gardens to look herself. But she stayed still, because there was still more that she needed to know.

She took a deep breath, unable to tear herself away from the sight of the gardens in full bloom. “We need to thank them. Was it the Lady of the Lake?”

“You can thank her if you want. I’m sure she’d appreciate it. But it was Lord Tuirenn.”

Alisha frowned at the strange name, shifting in place. “How do you know?”

“Because he’s my husband, and I asked him for it.”

Alisha turned around, her eyes widening as the person stood up and looked at her. She pressed her hands to her mouth, smiling as she looked back at her friend’s familiar face. “Mikleo…”

It was a wonder that he heard her with the way that her hands were pressed against her face. Mikleo smiled at her, holding out his arms.

Alisha rushed forward into them, hugging him close as she laughed into his shoulder. She was sure that she kept trying to say words, but they kept getting jumbled up in her laughter. Mikleo had come back, which was practically a miracle. No one that she had heard of had ever returned twice, but Mikleo had done it.

She pressed her forehead against his shoulder for a moment before jerking away, something that he had said sticking in her mind. “Husband?”

Mikleo blushed, his gaze darting away. “Y-you remember the person I told you about.”

Alisha stared at him, trying to connect the dots. She couldn’t imagine how he avoided getting eaten by a dragon, unless he managed to escape the same way he had before, unless he had help. That would explain how he had gotten away for a second time. Alisha doubted that a seraph would let anyone get hurt by a dragon, especially a seraph who was in love with Mikleo. There was no question in her mind about that, not with the way that Mikleo had reacted at his wedding. Knowing that he was alive, she was glad that he had run out, because it was obvious that he had found the seraph again.

She nodded, a smile crossing her face again. “Are you happy?”

“Yes.” Mikleo was quick to answer, his hands reaching out to grab hers. He squeezed her hands before his gaze darted over her shoulder. “And you?”

Alisha looked back at where Rose was turning away from the window. Rose was still hovering a good distance away, although Alisha could see the frown that was crossing her wife’s face. Rose was probably trying to connect the dots herself, and Alisha was sure that she’d have to explain. But that would come later.

She turned back towards Mikleo nodding. “Yes. I’ve never been happier.”

“I’m glad.”

“Me too.” Alisha looked around, her gaze falling on the discarded gifts on the ground of the hallway. She was sure that no one else would be coming back after looking outside. The food would be ready, if not a little charred because of inattention.

She winced at the thought, ignoring Mikleo’s concerned look. She and Rose might have to forego the rest of the gift ceremony to make sure that everyone could join in on the feast. Alisha was sure that Rose would be more than willing to skip out on the rest of the ceremony, she was obviously getting tired. In the end, the gifting ceremony was the tradition of royalty, not an official part of the wedding ceremony. If they wanted to, the two of them could sneak away to start their wedding night early.

A growl from her stomach stopped any more from that line of thought. Alisha giggled and let go of Mikleo’s hand to press one of her own to her stomach. “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day.”

“I can imagine.” Mikleo chuckled, reaching up to adjust his hood.

Alisha stared at it before motioning down the hall. “Do you want to join us? I’m sure no one will mind an additional guest of honor, especially when you brought us…this.”

Mikleo looked tempted, but he was quick to shake his head. “No. I can’t. I think people would be suspicious or think it’s a bad omen. Everyone saw me get taken by the dragon.”

“But you escaped.”

“I did.” Mikleo’s gaze dropped for a moment, then he was smiling up at her again. “But they don’t know that. And I can’t steal your spotlight.”

Alisha stared at him, hating the way that her stomach twisted. She had always thought that she, Mikleo and Uno would be staying in the city. She knew that she would be there, she was the princess, but the others had been no guarantee. That hadn’t stopped her from being so sure about it. And she had almost gotten her wish, Uno was still there, but he wasn’t himself anymore. She had even seen him briefly at the wedding, but he had been making a beeline for the shrinechurch.  Still, it was practically the same as him not being there. And now Mikleo was far away, living in the ruins of Kylfe, or wherever his seraph was.

She drummed her fingers against her stomach before shaking her head. “Alright but don’t be a stranger, please. I’ve missed having you around.”

“I’ll try to keep in touch, but it’s going to be a busy year for me.”

“Me too.” Alisha gestured over her shoulder. “I’m going to have to figure out what to do with this.”

Mikleo laughed, tugging his hood into place. He bowed slightly to her, the smile never leaving his place. “May the seraphim bless your marriage.”

“Yours too.”

Mikleo stood up from his bow and walked away, his cloak flaring out behind him.

Alisha watched as her friend walked down the hall, perking up when another hooded person peeled off from the shadows of the hallway. Mikleo immediately reached out for them, pulling them close. Alisha watched the two of them before smiling and relaxing. She was sure that the other person was Mikleo’s husband. Some part of her wished that she had been able to meet him, but she didn’t know what she would have done if she had met a seraph, probably groveled on the floor.

She swayed in place before turning to look at Rose. She held out her hand, Rose stepping up to grab it.

Rose didn’t immediately look at her, her gaze fixed on where Mikleo was walking out of the palace. Alisha let Rose have her moment, leaning her head over to rest it on Rose’s shoulder.

It didn’t take much longer for Rose to snap out of whatever had made her pause. Alisha heard Rose huff out a laugh, looking up as Rose shook her head. “So that’s Mikleo.”

“Yes.”

“I expected him to be…eaten.”

“Me too.” Alisha sighed. “It’s a miracle.”

Rose hummed, Alisha sure that it was in agreement. They stood in silence for a moment longer before Alisha lifted her head. She tugged on Rose’s hand, starting to pull her towards the doors. “Come on, let’s try to save the food before everyone wanders off to gawk at everything.”

“After I’ve been smelling it cooking for hours? Not likely.” Rose squared her shoulders and started marching down the hall, practically dragging Alisha after her.

Alisha laughed, stumbling to keep up with her. She finally had to break into a run, her free hand dropping down to lift up her skirts. Rose glanced back at her before breaking into a run herself, the two of them racing down the hall and out into the sunlight.

* * *

Muse combed her fingers through the grass, looking away from the green of it and the flowers that were scattered through it to see what her brother was doing.

Michael was still bent over his notebook, frantically scribbling. Muse wasn’t sure if Michael was taking notes on all the greenery or recording the day for posterity. Muse could already see the entry in Michael’s great book of history.

_In the fifth year of the reign of Princess Alisha Dipha, on the day of her wedding, the weather broke and revealed an early and lush spring._

Muse shook her head, leaning back on her hands in the grass. She looked back towards Ladylake, staring at the sky above it. The fireworks had ended a while ago, but they had gotten a good view from where they were. They had found a good spot by the Pughe River where the land started to rise. Muse had taken the time to watch the fireworks in celebration of the princess’ wedding, but she was sure that her brother hadn’t. He hadn’t stopped writing since the miracle had occurred.

She brushed her fingers through the grass, still amazed at it. She hadn’t felt grass as lush as this since the rare week of spring that they got. It felt so strange to her. Even the air was strange. Muse took a deep breath, trying to figure out how it managed to smell so light and fresh. It was like the whole world had been remade in an instant. Muse was sure that the church would be arguing over what happened, but she was content to call it a miracle and thank the seraphim.

She stared down at the glitter of lights in Ladylake, sure that they wouldn’t go out for a long while. A royal wedding meant an all-night celebration, not that she would have been out in the square all night. Still, they would have been down there if not for the note that had been left for them.

Muse curled her fingers into her skirt, resisting the urge to grab it out from her bag. She had read it enough times to memorize it, because it was another miracle.

She had thought her son was dead, it was the only conclusion that she could have come to. It was the only thing that made the whole horrible day make sense.

Mikleo hadn’t seemed the same after he had come back, but she had attributed it to stress and a wedding that he didn’t want. It had been a relief when he had turned away from the boat, but that had quickly turned to horror when he had gotten snatched up again. No one had suggested going after him again, because they were probably all sure that he was already dead. Malfore had gone out, but he had returned with nothing, not even from Kylfe. That had left her nothing to do but pray and quiz Michael about what Mikleo had been shouting, except that Michael hadn’t been able to tell her. He had said that it sounded like nonsense.

Muse closed her eyes, swallowing hard. She had spent days in the shrinechurch praying, although for what she didn’t know. Her son was gone, and there had been nothing she could do about it until the note had come.

She shifted her hold on her skirts, trying to keep herself calm. Michael had been ready to pass off the note as a fake, but Muse knew it couldn’t be. She recognized Mikleo’s handwriting and she couldn’t figure out who would want to imitate Mikleo. There was nothing to be gained from pretending to be a dead boy, especially not from them. As far as she could tell, there was no reason they couldn’t come out to the hillside, especially when it was pleasantly warm. Any another night they would have been shivering, but her cloak was almost too warm for the night, but she didn’t want to take it off, just in case the miracle faded.

Michael’s pencil stopped scratching across the page, Muse hearing him suck in a quick breath. She opened her eyes to look at him before turning to look back down the hill.

Two people were walking up the hill towards them, the breeze picking at their cloaks. One still had their hood pulled up, but the other had pushed theirs back. The two of them were still too far away to see their faces, but they were steadily climbing towards them.

Muse scrambled to her feet, grabbing the lantern that Michael had brought along. It was a measure of how shocked he was that Michael didn’t demand its return. She heard him getting up, Muse swaying close to him as she raised the lantern.

By its light she was able to make out their faces, Muse feeling her heart pounding when he recognized the face of the person without the hood.

She leaned forward, holding the lantern higher as she tried to confirm her suspicions, because it was impossible. Even the stories didn’t have people coming back after the dragons took them, not whole.

Muse passed the lantern to Michael, not bothering to see if her brother took it. She just walked forward, reaching out either to push the person away or pull him close. “Mikleo?”

“Mom!”

She came to a stop as Mikleo broke into a run. Muse could only stare as he crashed into her. She rocked back on her heels, staring down at Mikleo’s hair before she wrapped her arms around him. She pressed her face against his hair, holding him closer.

He felt solid enough, and he looked and sounded right. But it seemed too much luck. They had lost and found him once before, it seemed like too much to happen again. “Mikleo?”

“I’m here.” He shifted in her arms, leaning back a bit to smile at her. “It’s me. I promise.”

Muse cupped his cheek, rubbing her thumb over it before nodding. “Yes. It’s you. Michael,” she turned to look at her brother as Michael edged up to them, “we found him again.”

Michael reached out to pat at Mikleo, seeming surprised when his hand didn’t sink through or Mikleo didn’t dissolve away. He patted his way down Mikleo’s arm until he was holding onto Mikleo’s wrist. He squeezed Mikleo’s wrist, a breathless chuckle escaping him. “You’re here.”

“I said I would be.” Mikleo leaned into the both of them, giving them an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry it took me so long. I was…busy, but that’s not much of an excuse.”

Muse shook her head, torn between scolding him and forgiving him. She didn’t think that she could let either go, but she could hold off the scolding now, at least until Mikleo had explained himself a little bit more.

That didn’t stop her from squeezing him tight. “We thought you were dead.”

Mikleo made a hurt sound, Muse seeing the other person bristle out of the corner of her eye. But then Mikleo was hugging her and Michael close. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to tell you. I thought it would be easier to show you, but that would take work and I…I had to wait for Malfore to leave because I wasn’t going back.”

Mikleo seemed to run out of steam then, pulling way just enough to look at the two of them. He opened and shut his mouth for a moment before stepping away from them. Muse went to follow him, stopping when Mikleo dropped his gaze to the ground. It gave her the chance to really look at her son.

The first thing she noticed was his clothes. They were like nothing she had seen, all swirls and repeating patterns. It suited Mikleo, but he couldn’t imagine where he could have gotten them.

Her gaze darted over to where the second person was standing, watching as they looked between the three of them. Muse tipped her head to the side, surprised when the person backed away.

The motion caught Mikleo’s attention. He frowned and stepped away, going over to the second person. The two of them huddled together for a moment before Mikleo pulled the other person over.

Muse tried to duck her head to see what the person looked like, stopping when Mikleo nodded at the two of them. “I…I was hoping that you would be alright with a short visit. I know this doesn’t make up for being out of touch for so long, but I wanted to make sure things were perfect. And…there were some things that I had to figure out, because I need your help, Uncle Michael.”

“My help?”

Mikleo nodded, stepping away from the person as they dropped their hood.

Muse gasped, pressing her hands against her mouth as the light of the lantern showed the horns on the person’s head. She stared at them before her attention was drawn away, Muse staring at the wings the man unfolded from under his cloak, a tail sweeping out after them.

She stared at him, watching as his wings moved, the feathers sparkling silver in the light. It was an awe inspiring sight, especially when she could only think of one thing that looked like that.

Muse dropped to her knees, bowing to the man. “Lord Seraph.”

She expected some kind of blessing or grand announcement, not the confused statement that she got.

“Um…Sorey is just fine.”

Muse jerked her head up, amazed at the permission. She was even more amazed by the way that the seraph was blushing.

He glanced over at Mikleo before nodding at them. “There’s no need for formality.”

Muse wanted to protest otherwise, because she had learned the strict protocol. Without it, she didn’t know what to do. No one had seen a seraph in years, so this was a blessing.

Thankfully, Michael seemed to adjust faster than she did. He stepped forward, raising the lantern to give him a better look at the seraph. “You’re the one that saved Mikleo from the dragon.”

“Well…I…uh…”

Muse got back to her feet, confused by the way that the seraph was stumbling over himself. She watched as the seraph reached back to rub at the back of his neck. She exchanged a quick glance with Michael, Muse turning her attention to her son as Mikleo stepped forward.

Her son looked her in the eyes before nodding. “It’s more complicated than that, which is why it took so much time. I need Uncle Michael’s help. I think I’ve got enough to prove my point, but I need him to look some of it over. And to make sure that no one just laughs it off because it’s important.”

“What is it about?”

“Well…”

“Mikleo.” The seraph spoke so softly that Muse almost missed it. She turned to look at the seraph, surprised by the way that Mikleo immediately turned towards him. The folded into each other neatly and with an ease that surprised her.

Muse raised an eyebrow, not bothering to look over at Michael. He had been thrown something interesting to think over, which meant that he would be missing anything else going around him until he had thought out the subject. She’d probably have to fill him in on what she was seeing, although maybe it could wait a while.

She tipped her head and watched the two of them, smiling to herself as she watched the seraph’s wing curl slightly against Mikleo’s back. And then the two of them were pulling away.

Mikleo came away with the seraph’s cloak, Mikleo folding it up under his arm. He backed away from the seraph, coming back to stand with them. He shot them a glance, Muse surprised by the pleading look that he gave them. “Please don’t run.”

She didn’t get the chance to ask what he meant because there was a flare of light. Muse raised a hand to shield her eyes, her eyes widening when she realized that the light was silver. Muse stared at her fingers before her gaze dropped down to where the seraph was blurring into a shower of silver sparks. His outline twisted slightly, Muse watching as it expanded before the sparks drifted away, leaving a silver and blue dragon behind.

Muse jerked backward, grabbing at Mikleo and pulling him back. She didn’t dare look away from the dragon, not when she recognized it. It had took her son away from her twice, she wouldn’t let it happen again.

The light from the lantern skewed wildly as Michael brought it around to bear, Muse staring at the dragon.

The creature looked over all of them before hunkering down, making itself look smaller. Muse tipped her head to the side confused by the dragon’s behavior. Before, he had just snatched Mikleo and flew away. This time, it looked like he was waiting patiently for something.

Muse adjusted her hold on Mikleo, jerking forward when he slipped out of her grip. She reached out for him, gasping when he moved out of her reach.

Mikleo walked towards the dragon, wrapping his arms around the dragon’s muzzle to hold it close. The dragon took a deep breath before relaxing with a sigh, Muse sure that she heard the dragon start to purr.

Mikleo seemed pleased with the reaction, because he buried his face in the dragon’s feathers. He stood like that for a moment before he pulled away to look at them. He gave the two of them a sheepish smile. “This is what I needed your help with, Uncle Michael. I need to figure out how to tell the world that seraphim and dragons are the same thing, and that we can’t live without them. All of this,” Mikleo gestured at the grass and flowers, “is because Sorey extended his domain to cover Ladylake. The influence of the seraphim helps with the seasons.”

Michael hummed, Muse recognizing the sound. She turned her head to look at her brother, watching as Michael swayed in place. He gave in a moment later. “Do you have evidence of this?”

Mikleo nodded, making a motion off into the night. “It’s back home, if you trust us enough to get you there safe.”

“Of course we do.” Muse was surprised when she was the one who spoke up. She glanced back at the dragon, the creature perfectly content to have his head held in Mikleo’s arms. There wasn’t malice in the creature, at least not that she could see. And, moments before, it had been a seraph. She didn’t quite understand it, but she trusted that her son and brother would fill in the gaps for her.

The fact that Mikleo was still alive meant more than anything else. The dragon had had Mikleo for months, but he hadn’t eaten him. That he was so docile spoke enough for him. Besides, she trusted Mikleo not to put them in danger.

She turned to look over her shoulder at the mountains in the distance. It was hard to see them now that the sun had gone down, the Guest Mountains a vague shadow in the dark. She swallowed and looked back over at Mikleo and the dragon.

Even knowing all of that, she was wary about just climbing onto the dragon. Muse reached back to tug on her ponytail, giving the dragon a long look. “Can it take all three of us?”

Mikleo tipped his head to the side, his hand trailing down the dragon’s muzzle and then off. “He’s told me he can, at least for the short flight.”

Muse raised her eyebrow, looking at the dragon. It gave no sign that it felt her scrutiny, the creature kept looking towards the mountains. Muse watched as its wings fluttered out, Muse not sure if it was nervousness or impatience. Either way, they would get nowhere just standing outside of Ladylake and she was not going to turn down the chance to see Mikleo. They had much to catch up on, and she doubted that Mikleo would just want to stand around talking outside of Ladylake, especially with a dragon.

She squared her shoulders, looking the dragon up and down. She could feel a flutter of fear, but she hadn’t gotten this far listening to it overly much. Muse gathered her skirts in one hand and strode over to her son and the dragon.

The dragon jerked its head up, looking at her in confusion. Muse swallowed hard, but forced herself to keep eye contact with the dragon. “No dropping us, got it?”

The dragon blinked before giving her a solemn nod. Muse was partially amused by the motion, but she didn’t let it show. Until she got the measure of the dragon, she would keep things close to her chest.

She gave the dragon a nod before turning to look at Michael. “Come on.”

Muse was sure Michael heard the tension in her voice under the false bravado. It was the only explanation for the way that he was so quick to move. She turned her head to look at him, smiling as Michael touched her shoulder. It was a fleeting touch, bit it steadied her, even when Michael stepped away.

She looked up as Michael approached the dragon’s shoulder, the corner of her mouth twitching up as he scrambled onto the dragon’s back. It was an ungainly movement, Muse pressing her lips together to keep herself from laughing. She stayed on the ground as her brother squirmed in place on the dragon’s back, taking the opportunity to look at Mikleo. She knew that she should trust him, but she couldn’t help herself from asking one more question. “Are you sure this is safe?”

Mikleo shrugged. “He’s never dropped me. And he’s not going to hurt either of you.”

Muse met Mikleo’s serious gaze, surprised by the force of it. Mikleo has always been a serious child, save for the moments he was running wild through the streets of Ladylake, or as wild as he could get with the future princess of Ladylake with him. He could be serious, but this depth of it was rare. Whatever she thought about it, Mikleo was sure about what he was saying and that was comforting.

She gave the dragon one last look before clearing her throat. Muse reached out to touch the side of the dragon’s neck, waiting for the creature’s reaction.

The most she got was a brief flicker of its attention before it turned its gaze back towards the mountains. Muse watched as its wings flicked out, taking it as a sort of warm up.

She swallowed, pausing a moment to offer a prayer to the seraphim out of habit. She supposed that it didn’t matter considering that she was standing next to a dragon who had, moments ago, been a seraph. Still, the rote words calmed her enough to reach up to clamber aboard.

Muse grabbed at Michael’s hand when her brother offered it to her. She heard Michael grunt as he took her weight, Muse hauling herself the rest of the way onto the dragon’s back.

She heard the creature grunt, Muse grabbing handfuls of feathers when the dragon shifted its weight. Muse expected the dragon to settle down quickly, but it started walking. Muse yelped and crouched down over the dragon’s back. She glanced down, spotting Mikleo jogging alongside the dragon.

In the middle of one stride, the dragon reached out to snatch up Mikleo in one of its hands. Muse winced, prepared to see some kind of blood or hear Mikleo shout. But there was nothing.

She glanced down, catching sight of Mikleo held comfortably in the dragon’s claws. Her son had his head tipped back, a smile on his face. Muse was sure that he was laughing, but the wind blew it away.

Muse watched Mikleo for a moment longer before dropping her gaze to the ground. Her stomach twisted as the ground fell away from them, Muse jerking her gaze away. It was better to look up, over her brother’s shoulder, the dragon’s neck and towards the mountains.

* * *

Mikleo padded down the hallway, nodding at Atakk as they passed. Atakk gave him a weary wave back, the Normin looking like he was going to trudge off to his own bed. Mikleo didn’t blame him. They had asked a lot from the Normin and he had done everything that was needed and more besides. Mikleo was sure this was the slowest he had seen Atakk going since he had brought his parents back.

As soon as they had landed there had been demands for tours and information. Sorey had stuck around for part of them before slinking off, but Atakk had kept up with him, even to the point of pulling Michael out of the library when it had started to get late.

Both Muse and Michael were safely ensconced in their own rooms. Muse had fallen asleep as soon as she had hit the bed, but Mikleo had seen Michael retreating to his room with a stack of books. He was sure that Michael would stay up all night reading. It was a good thing that Mikleo really had nothing planned for them.

Bringing his parents to the shrine had been a whim that he didn’t think that Sorey would agree to. After all, they hadn’t made too much progress in getting together something that could prove that seraphim were dragons, they had gotten busy with the shrine and then distracted.

Mikleo smiled to himself, running his hands through his hair. Still, perfect circumstances or not, he was glad to have his parents there. It had been wonderful to see them again, them and Alisha.

He hummed, letting his hands drop to his sides. Alisha looked happy, which was everything that he had wanted. Even better, Malfore hadn’t been around to foul up his plans. It would have been better if he had seen Uno. Then again, he hadn’t seen Father Breunor either, which had to be a good thing. It was past time that Uno started to snatch happiness for himself again. When he dropped his parents off, he might have to pay a longer visit.

Mikleo shook his head, slowing down when he reached the curtained door that marked their room.

The curtain had been one of the first things that they had put up after clearing the room. Privacy wasn’t an issue with only three of them, but Mikleo liked the appeal of being able to shut out the rest of the world, a clear divide between the work on the shrine and their private life.

He reached out to move the curtain, slipping through and letting it fall behind him. Mikleo sighed, closing his eyes at the fall of the curtain. With it down he already felt more relaxed. He rolled his shoulders before opening his eyes again.

Their room was a large one, something that Mikleo had insisted on. Sorey could stand in the room as a dragon and not have anything brush against the walls. It had meant rearranging plans for the shrine and a long day of moving old furniture and chests, but it had been worth it. Sorey could come into the room had he pleased and the bed that they had jerry rigged meant that Sorey could rest in either form, which was important. Mikleo was sure he couldn’t be able to fall asleep without a wing draped over him now.

He scanned over the mess of the table at one end of the room, rolling his eyes before looking away. It would probably never get cleaned up considering it was part of their many ongoing projects. He shook his head and looked back to the end of the room, smiling when he saw Sorey crouched there.

Mikleo made his way over, stripping his coat and shirt off as he went. He tossed the two pieces of clothes onto one of the chairs in the room, not bothering to slow down.

Sorey didn’t look up at him, the seraph’s full attention on the two eggs that were resting in the nest of blankets and old clothes.

He was resting his hand on one of them, running his hand over the cream speckled shell with a frown on his face. Every once and a while he would pause and tip his head, but the frown never left his face.

Mikleo came to crouch beside him, feeling his necklace knock against his skin. He shivered at the touch of the cold gold against his skin. Mikleo reached up to trace the shape, following the sharp ‘V’ of the dragon’s wings before letting it hang free again. He reached out to touch Sorey’s back, rubbing just under Sorey’s wing. “They alright?”

“Hm? Yeah.” Sorey sounded distracted even as he talked. He slipped back into silence, Mikleo patiently waiting him out as Sorey finished checking over one egg. He reached for the other one, dragging his hand over the surface before sighing. “They’re fine. It was just a while.”

“I know.” Mikleo leaned close to kiss Sorey’s cheek. “I’m sorry it took so long, but thank you for being there with me.”

Sorey sighed and leaned into him, Mikleo smiling when he felt Sorey’s wing drop over him. Mikleo scooted closer to him, reaching out to touch the shell of one of the eggs. Sorey was always doing it to check the temperature of the eggs, but he didn’t have the same knack. They felt like they always did, smooth. He hummed, reaching out to play with the blanket that was wrapped around the base. “How are they doing?”

“Everything should be good.” Sorey bit his lip, his hand lingering on the side of the egg. “Atakk knows what he’s doing.”

“But you were still worried.” He didn’t need to wait for an answer, because he already knew. They hadn’t been more than a few hallways away from the eggs since they were laid. It was mostly Sorey doing the hovering, because Mikleo still didn’t know what to do about them. Sorey might have explained things to him, but it hadn’t really stuck, not until Sorey had started making a nest.

He reached out to adjust some of the purple pieces of fabric that he had brought to the nest. Atakk had advised him to make an offer, and Sorey had seemed to favor purple. It had been a good move, because Sorey seemed perfectly happy, unless they were leaving the eggs for an entire day. Then again, Mikleo had started to get jumpy towards the end, not that he didn’t trust Atakk. It was just that he couldn’t stop thinking about the stories he had heard about eggs being smashed.

Mikleo sighed and rested his head on Sorey’s shoulder. “I’ll tuck them in for the night.”

Sorey nodded, slowly getting to his feet. Mikleo let his hand linger until Sorey was out of reach. Even then he leaned back onto his hands and watch as Sorey wiggled out of his clothes.

He felt the familiar curl of want in his stomach, but it was easier to ignore. Sorey didn’t seem interested at the moment, most of his time seemed to be taken up with worrying and frantically reading. Mikleo was on the verge of just sending him to his father and mother, just to calm him down, but that could wait a little bit, just until Sorey eased up a bit. Sending him off wouldn’t help if he was just thinking about the eggs.

Mikleo petted the egg before reaching in for their blankets. This was another thing Sorey insisted on, although Mikleo could make sense of this at least. The eggs had an optimum temperature that needed to be maintained, which they mostly achieved with Sorey curling around them or wrapping blankets around them Mikleo had gotten used to waking up to Sorey pulling the eggs into his protective curl for some reason or another. Mikleo had woken up nearly every morning with his arms wrapped around an egg and Sorey purring above him.

He stroked his fingers over the egg before pulling its blanket up around it. Mikleo shifted to the same with the other one, making sure to give it a loving pat. “You two stay warm.”

Mikleo got to his feet, staring down at the eggs. Once it had been strange to talk to them, especially since no one seemed to know if the hatchling inside could hear them, but it felt more natural to include them in their daily lives. Being in an egg seemed like a lonely business.

He rubbed the back of his neck, turning as he saw a silver spark drift past him. Mikleo smiled and reached up to brush his fingers against it before turning his attention to Sorey.

The seraph was shaking off the last of the sparks. Sorey sighed, shuffling over to the bed. It was clear that he was exhausted, and it was no wonder. Sorey had been excited about seeing everything in Ladylake. Mikleo was sure that the distraction of a world that he had never seen had been enough to keep him from thinking about the eggs too much. It was also enough to exhaust him.

Mikleo smiled as Sorey dropped into their bed with a huff, the seraph remaining splayed before he started to draw his limbs in. Even then it looked like it took more effort than normal. It made Mikleo want to roll his eyes.

He reached up to play with his necklace, watching as Sorey stretched out his neck for a last check on the eggs. Sorey’s tongue flicked out, touching each egg in turn before he was satisfied.

Sorey settled back into bed with a groan, looking for all the world like he was going to fall asleep right there. It was enough to make Mikleo chuckle.

He let go of his necklace, walking over to the bed. “We’re going to pace ourselves in the future.”

He sat down on the side of the bed, lifting his hands as Sorey dropped his head into his lap. Mikleo leaned over to kiss the top of Sorey’s head. “I don’t want you exhausted like this every time. Especially not when we’re going to being chasing after hatchlings.” Mikleo glanced at the eggs. “Well, maybe after they can fly. That might give Uncle Michael and I the time to come up with something acceptable. And then we can go out whenever we want.”

Sorey made a sleepy sound of approval. Mikleo chuckled and stroked the feathers on Sorey’s feathers. “Or we could leave them with your mother or father, make it a day for just the two of us. You, me and the world.”

Mikleo wasn’t sure if the sound he got in response was in approval or just another agreement. He supposed that it didn’t matter when Sorey was curling closer to him and he was leaning back against the dragon’s side. He turned his head to nuzzle into Sorey’s feathers. It was tempting to stay there. He was warm where he was pressed up against Sorey, so warm that he didn’t want to move. But he wasn’t ready for sleep, at least not just yet. His mother and uncle would be in the shrine for a week or so, which meant that he wouldn’t get a lot of time with Sorey. Mikleo was sure that Sorey remain human looking or use the excuse to brood over the eggs. Either way, it would be a long time before they got another quiet moment together.

Mikleo moved a bit as Sorey sighed. He turned his head to watch as the tip of Sorey’s tail twitched, a sure sign that he was happy. Mikleo smiled and dug his fingers into Sorey’s feathers, scratching deep before easing up. Sorey didn’t seem to mind, the dragon rumbling out a purr.

He turned his head back forward, his gaze lingering on what parts of the eggs he could see above their blankets. It was amazing how much the sight of them settled something in his chest.

Mikleo settled back against Sorey’s shoulder, dropping his gaze back to the dragon’s head. He played with the feathers there, tracing blue patterns and mussing with the silver feathers until they shone in the soft glow of the ruin. Mikleo smiled and gathered Sorey’s head into his arms so he could press kisses into the feathers, smiling as Sorey purred against his cheek, the dragon’s wing falling to enclose them in their own, silver-bright world.

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Pengie and Nami for being enablers in this idea. And thanks to all of you who read. Your comments really do mean the world to me.


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